18 2 Interaction Between Minerals and Reagents

Surface oxidation of chalcocite:

1
xCu2 S  yCuS þ O2 þ H2 O ! ðx
2ÞCu2 S  ðy þ 2ÞCuS þ 2Cu2 þ þ 2OH

2

Reaction of copper ion with xanthate ion:

2Cu2 þ þ 2X
! Cu2 X2 #

2Cu2 þ þ 4X
! Cu2 X2 # þ X2

Reaction of chalcocite with dixanthogen:

2Cu2 S þ X2 ! 2CuS þ Cu2 X2

2.2 Adsorption Equation of Flotation Reagent

on Mineral Surface

The adsorption process of reagent on mineral surface can be described by various

adsorption equations in surface chemistry. At first, some typical adsorption iso-
therm models and adsorption kinetics equations are introduced in this section.
Subsequently, the adsorption equations of flotation reagent on mineral surface are
derived.

2.2.1 Adsorption Isotherm Model

(1) Langmuir model

It has been found that the monolayer adsorption of gas molecules on solid
surface can be expressed by Langmuir equation. The following gives a rough
deduce for Langmuir adsorption of flotation reagent on mineral surface:

jM þ A , jMA

where M is mineral surface; A is reagent; MA is adsorption product; CA is the

reagent concentrate; CM is the proportion of residual active site in which mineral
surface is not covered by reagent; CMA is the proportion of active site in which
mineral surface is covered by reagent.
When the adsorption reaches to reaction equilibrium, the equilibrium constant
(K) is given by the following:
2.2 Adsorption Equation of Flotation Reagent on Mineral Surface 19

CMA
K¼
CM  CA

It is obvious that the value of CMA is same as that of adsorption amount (C).
Because of CM + CMA = 1, a modified equation is as follows:
KCA
C¼ ð2:5Þ
1 þ KCA

The equation above can be further modified, and Langmuir equation is as

follows:
C b 1
¼ Cþ ð2:50 Þ
C a a

Langmuir equation shows that it is a linear relation between C/C and C.

(2) Freundlich model
Freundlich equation, as an empirical model, is base on the multilayer adsorption
of reagent. The following gives a rough deduce for Freundlich adsorption of
flotation reagent on mineral surface:

jM þ nA , jMAn
KCAn
C¼
1 þ KCAn

When the values of K and CAn both are small, the equation above can be further
modified, and Freundlich equation is as follows:
C ¼ KCAn ð2:6Þ

log C ¼ a þ n log C ð2:60 Þ

Freundlich equation indicates that it is a linear relation between Log C and log
C.
Under the condition of mineral reacting with two or more reagents, the rough
deduce process is given by the following:

jM þ nA , jMAn ; jM þ mB , jMBm
CMA ¼ KA  CAn  CM ; CMB ¼ KB  CAm  CM

That is:
CA Cn
¼ K mA ð2:7Þ
CB CB