Abstract
A phosphate ore from the Catalão mine (Brazil) poses a challenge for apatite flotation from its carbonate gangue minerals. In recent developments, selectivity has been enhanced by using CO2 instead of air. The adsorption of the sulfosuccinate collector on apatite and carbonates, with air or CO2, was studied through infrared spectrometry (FTIR, transmission mode), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and zeta potential techniques. The FTIR spectra of apatite and carbonates treated with sulfosuccinate showed the presence of new adsorbed bands on apatite (1725 cm−1), consequently the chemical adsorption of the collector, but not on the carbonates. It is believed that this occurs due to the low adsorption density of the collector, which also generates a good selectivity between apatite and the carbonates. The XPS spectra of the apatite surface after conditioning with the collector characterized sulfosuccinate adsorption. The sulphur/carbon (S/C) ratio, however, is well below the value assayed for the pure reagent for absorption in the presence of air, while it matches this figure (S/C = 0.036) when adsorption is performed with CO2 injection. Carbon dioxide thus enhances the collector adsorption on apatite. Successful flotation concentration of apatite with carbonate gangue of the phosphate ore from the Catalão mine is therefore linked to the use of sulfosuccinate as collector, which is highly selective for apatite. The selectivity is enhanced by using CO2 as a gas to generate bubbles.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Avelar AN (2018) Caracterização dos minerais do grupo da apatita e carbonatos no minério silico-carbonatado de Catalão, GO, e sua relevância no processo de flotação. Doctoral Thesis, University Federal of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, p 207. http://hdl.handle.net/1843/BUOS-B3DGSH
Cheary RW, Coelho A (1992) A fundamental parameters approach to X-ray line-profile fitting. J Appl Crystallogr 25:109–121
Fleet ME, Liu X (2008) Accommodation of the carbonate ion in fluorapatite synthesized at high pressure. Am Miner 93:1460–1469
Fuerstenau MC, Palmer BR (1976) Anionic flotation of oxides and silicates. In: Flotation A. M. Gaudin Memorial Volume. vol 1. AIME, New York, pp 148–196
Fuggle JC (1977) XPS, UPS and XAES studies of oxygen adsorption on polycrystalline Mg at ~ 100 and ~ 300 K. Surf Sci 69:581–608
Giesekke EW (1983) A review of spectroscopic techniques applied to the study of interactions between minerals and reagents in flotation systems. Int J Miner Process 11:19–56
Gong WI, Parentich A, Litlle LH, Warren LJ (1992) Adsorption of oleate on apatite studied by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. Langmuir 8(118–124):1992
Hassas BV, Miller JD (2019) The effect of carbon dioxide and nitrogen on pyrite surface properties and flotation response. Miner Eng 144:106048
Hollinger G (1981) Structures chimique et electronique de l’interface SiO2–Si. Appl Surf Sci 8:318–336
Hu W (1989) Flotation. Metallurgical Industry Press, Beijing, pp 10–13
Jonhston DJ, Leja J (1978) Flotation behavior calcium phosphates and carbonate in orthophosphate solution. Trans Inst Min Metall (Section C: Mineral Process Extrat Metall) 87:237–242
Landis WJ (1984) X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy applied to gold decorated mineral standards of biological interest. Vac Sci Technol A 2:1108–1111
López EO, Rossi AL, Archanjo BS, Ospina RO, Mello A, Rossi AM (2015) Crystalline nano-coatings of fluorine-substituted hydroxyapatite produced by magnetron sputtering with high plasma confinement. Surf Coat Technol 264:163–174
Moran PD, Bowmaker GA, Cooney RP, Bartlett JR, Woolfrey JL (1995) Langmuir vibrational spectra of metal salts of bis (2=ethylhexyl) suIfosuccinate (AOT). J Mater Chem 5:295–302
Moudgil BM, Ince D (1988) Flotation of dolomitc impurities from Jhamarkotra (India) impurities. Int J Miner Process 24:47–54
Moulder JF, Stickle WF, Sobol PE, Bomben KD (1992) Handbook of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Eden Praire, Perkin-Elmer Corp, p 260
Rezende SE, Martins JS, Matiolo E, Takata LA (2011) Processo para obtenção de concentrados de apatita por flotação. Brazilian Patent PI 0902233-3
Santos H, Neumann R, Ávila CA (2017) Mineral quantification with simultaneous refinement of Ca–Mg carbonates non-stoichiometry by X-ray diffraction. Rietveld Method Miner 7:164
Somasundaran P, Ofori Amankonah J, Ananthapadmanabhan (1985) Mineral-solution equilibria in sparingly soluble minerals systems. Colloids Surf 15:309–333
Wang X, Miller J, Matiolo E, Ferreira E, Avelar AN, Gonçalves K, Barros LAF (2013) Understanding the effect of CO2 on apatite flotation from Catalão’s siliceous carbonate phosphate ore. In: Proceedings of 6th International Flotation Conference (Flotation'13), Cape Town, South Africa. Minerals Engineering International (MEI)
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the following institutions and offices: the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), the Post-Graduate Program in Metallurgical, Materials and Mining Engineering (PPGEM) and to PROEX-CAPES. P.R.G. Brandão and RN acknowledge CNPq for research grants. The authors also thank Alexandre Mello and Elvis López for XPS analyses at The Brazilian Center for Physical Research (CBPF), Centre for Mineral Technology and Vale for instrumental support. Also, to Isabel Batista (UFMG) for the great help in FTIR techniques.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Avelar, A.N., Brandão, P.R.G. & Neumann, R. Adsorption of sulfosuccinate collector on apatite and carbonates in a phosphate ore, in the presence of carbon dioxide. Braz. J. Chem. Eng. 38, 573–583 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43153-021-00108-3
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43153-021-00108-3