Understanding zinc sulfide activation mechanism and impact of calcium sulfate in sphalerite flotation

• Author / Creator

  Teng, Fucheng

• Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) was used to study the zinc sulfide activation with silver, copper and lead. The interactions between calcium sulfate and minerals and gypsum nucleation on functional surfaces were investigated using a QCM-D, surface forces apparatus (SFA), and atomic force microscope (AFM).
  This study is the first of its kind to apply the QCM-D technique to investigate sphalerite activation, which indroduces a new in-situ approach to investigate surface adsorption and activation in many mineral processes and surface modifications. The fitting of adsorption of copper and lead species to sphalerite at pH 6.5 and 9 with kinetic models indicates that the activation in this pH range is a chemisorption process. Gypsum was found to grow on functional surfaces following the growth rates as -COOH>-OH>-CH3, but not on sphalerite. The uptake of copper and adsorption of xanthate on sphalerite could be retarded in the presence of calcium sulfate.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Zinc sulfide activation
  • Sphalerite flotation
  • Surface adsorption

• Graduation date

  Spring 2012

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3933T

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.