Surface and Flotation Characteristics of Spodumene:A Molecular Modeling Approach

Surface characteristics of spodumene [LiAl(SiO3)27 and aluminosilicates (feldspar [KA1Si3041 and muscovite IK2A14(A1257602a)(01-00 are modeled using molecular simulations. Surface energies are computed for various cleavage planes of these minerals and compared with those measured experi-mentally. Adsorption mechanisms of oleate collector on spodumene in the selective flotation of spodumene from these aluminosilicates are studied using molecular model-ing methods. Further, the wettability characteristics of spodumene are quantified by computing the contact angle of a drop of water on the adsorbed oleate layer. These simul-ated computed contact angles are compared with those measured experimentally.