Quantum–Mechanics of Pyrite Flotation
P. M. SOLOZHENKIN1, S. A. KONDRAT’EV2, E. I. ANGELOVA3
1Institute of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kryukovskii tupik 4, Moscow, 111020 Russia
2N.A. Chinakal Institute of Mining, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Krasnyi pr. 54, Novosibirsk, 630091 Russia
3G.I. Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, pr. Lenina 38, Magnitogorsk, 455000 Russia
Keywords: minerals, sulfhydryl collectors, flotation, atomic charges, collector activity, molecular modeling
Abstract
The authors carried out molecular modeling of clusters of simple structure and ring structure pyrite. It is suggested to analyze bonding of a collecting agent and cluster atom using the collector capacity forecasting index. It is shown that butyl dixanthate more vigorously connects to cluster atoms than thionocarbamates, e.g., Z 200 and IETNC. Analysis of the charge transfer in interaction of pyrite and the listed collecting agents shows that in monodentate bonding the charge is transferred from the mineral to the collector sulfur atoms and in bidentate bonding the classical transfer of the charge from the collector donor to the mineral acceptor is observed. It is supposed that ferrum xanthate decompounding in an acid medium results in inception of dixanthates that govern pyrite flotation. Pyrite oxidation and elemental sulfur formation also favor pyrite flotation and complicate pyrite depression in an alkaline medium.
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