14 2 Interaction Between Minerals and Reagents

In addition, the mineral is not pure one in the flotation processing. For example,
after surface oxidation, the surface of galena is not component of PbS. But the
calculation of the solubility product of reaction is still adopted at present. The
reason is that it is helpful to explain the role of flotation reagent in many cases.
Taking the adsorption of galena and xanthate, for example, the process of disso-
ciation of lead xanthate formed on the surface of galena can be given as follows:
 
PbX2 , Pb2 þ þ 2X
; K1 ¼ Pb2 þ  ðX
Þ ¼ LPbX2 ð2:40 Þ

And then the adsorption reaction of Pb2+ with OH− becomes following:

1
Pb2 þ þ 2OH
, PbðOHÞ2 ; K2 ¼  2 þ  ¼ 1=LPbðOHÞ2
Pb ½OH
2

From above two-step reactions, it can be given as follows:

PbX2 þ 2OH
, PbðOHÞ2 þ 2X

The equilibrium constant of reaction is as follows [9] (L refers to solubility

product):

½X
2 LPbX2
K 0 ¼ K1  K2 ¼
2
¼
½OH  LPbðOHÞ2

or

½X
 pffiffiffiffiffi
K¼
¼ K0
½OH 

where LPbðOHÞ2 ¼ 4:2  10
15 ; For isopropyl xanthate, LPbX2 ¼ 1:58  10
18 ,
Kisopropyl ¼ 1:9  10
2 ; For ethyl xanthate, LPbX2 ¼ 1:7  10
17 , Kethyl ¼ 1:2  10
1 .
For the adsorption of galena and xanthate, meantime, the reaction process and
K 00 were expressed in another way by Kakovski. The new expression for reaction
and K 00 become the following:

PbðOHÞ2 þ 2X
, PbX2 þ 2OH

½OH

K 00 ¼ ¼ 10
½X

2.1 Various Theories on Interaction Between Collectors and Minerals 15

It suggests that the value of [X−]/[OH−] is 10−1. By comparing this value with
that calculated value of Barsky (C  [H+] = 10−15, and [H+]/[OH−] = 10−14), while,
it can be found that the value of [X−]/[OH−] acquired by both of them is same with
each other. To sum up, although those theories analyze the results from different
aspects, they can reflect the actual conditions of flotation process and reagent to
some extent.
In most cases, the interaction between coordination collector and mineral
involves chemical adsorption [8]. Taking the flotation of chrysocollite with salts of
hydroximic acid, for example, the interaction is attributed to chemical adsorption.
In fact, coordination chemistry theory is the application and development of sol-
ubility product theory. Based on this theory, dissociation constant of complex Ka is
closely related to its stability. The stability of coordination increases with decrease
of Ka. Therefore, Ka may serve as a criterion for chemical adsorption and chemical
reactivity of flotation reagent.
(6) Adsorption of reaction product
The interaction between mineral and reagent is not as simple as it seems. There
is a series of complicated reactions in the flotation process. Mineral reacts with not
only air (or oxygen) but also with impurities in pulp. And it leads to changes of the
surface properties. There are side reactions occurring such as oxidation-reduction
reaction, catalystic reaction, and some other special reactions. Among these side
reactions, reaction product adsorption influences the flotation performance
remarkably.
Lots of reaction products of xanthate with sulfide mineral are studied [10–13].
Research shows that the adsorption products of xanthate with sulfide surface
include usually dixanthogen (X2) and its existent, and quantity is relationship with
mineral flotation. The interpretations of this relation are varied. One of those
interpretations is based on the scanning potential study by R. Woods. The electrode
reaction of xanthate occurs on the surface of sulfide mineral and the xanthate is
further oxidized to dixanthogen. The expression for electrode reaction of xanthate is
given by the following:

2ROCSS
þ 1=2 O2 þ 2H þ ! ðROCSSÞ2 þ H2 O

The anodic oxidation reaction is as follows:

2ROCSS
! ðROCSSÞ2 þ 2e

The cathodic reduction reaction is as follows:

1= O2 þ 2H þ þ 2e ! H2 O
2