1.

Activating reagents
2. Depressants
3. Others (they modify: pH, coagulation, redox, rheology,
etc.)
AUXILIARY FLOTATION REAGENT
Activating action of hydrolyzing cations. Flotation of quartz in the presence
of 10
4
M sulfonate (no flotation in the absence of those cations)
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
pH
0
20
40
60
80
100
f
l
o
t
a
t
i
o
n

r
e
c
o
v
e
r
y
,

%
Fe
3 +
Pb
2 +
Mn
2 +
Ca
2 +
Mg
2 +
Al
3 +
Fluoric ions may activate and depress flotation of silicates:
a area of depressed flotation in presence of oleate
b) area of activation in the presence of dodecylamine as
collector (Manser, 1975)
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
pH
1
10
100
1000
o
l
e
a
t
e
,

m
g
/
d
m
3f l ot at i on
no f l ot at i on
wi t h NaF
no f l ot at i on

beryl
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
pH
1
10
100
1000
d
o
d
e
c
y
l
a
m
i
n
e
,

m
g
/
d
m
3
f l ot at i on
f
l
o
t
a
t
i
o
n

w
i
t
h


N
a
F
no f l ot at i on

beryl
Depressants acting through adsorption
Depressing reagents
Depressants acting through redox reactions
Depressants acting through reactions with flotation reagents
Depressors acting through adsorption
MC + D = MD + C
D depressant ion
C collector ion
MC collector adsorbed or forming surface compound with mineral
MD depressant adsorbed or forming surface compound with mineral
| | | |
| | | | MC D
MD C

=
M
K
| |
| |
| |
| |
const
MC
MD
D
C
=

=
M
K
Barskis constant
(relation)
equilibrium const.
for bulk reactions
| | | |
| | | | | | O H MC SMeX SH exp OH
SMeOH S exp X
2
2
0
2
0
OH
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

RT
F
RT
F
K

| |
| |
| |
| |
. , k k
y
y
~ ~

D
C
OH
X
equilibrium const.
for surface reactions
general form of Barski relation
Depressants acting through adsorption
2 4 6 8 10 12
pH
0
20
40
60
80
100
r
e
c
o
v
e
r
y
,

%
chalcocite
KButX 0.0001M
4 6 8 10 12
pH
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
c
o
l
l
e
c
t
o
r

c
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
,

m
g
/
d
m
3
pyr ite
galena
chalcopyr ite
pH modifiers (acids and bases)
| |
| |
k
y
~


OH
X
based on attachment of partcles to bubble
too high and low pH depress flotation of minerals
| |
| |
k
y
~


OH
X
Values of parameter yfor selected mineral-collector system


(here pH regulator determines concentration of OH
-
ions
(after Chander, 1988)
Mineral collector y pH range
Galena/KEX 0.65 9 12
Galena/KDEDTP 0.53 6 9
Sphalerite/DEDTC 0.56 6 8
Sphalerite/DBDTC 0.72 7.5 10
Sphalerite/DADTC 0.75 8 11
Chalcopyrite/NaDEDTP 0.71 8.5 11
Chalcopyrite/KEX - 11 13
Pyrite/NaDEDTP 0.62 4 6
Pyrite/KEX - 10 12

E - ethyl, D di, T tio, A- amyl , B- butyl, X- xanthate , P - phosphate , C carbonate, K- potassium, Na - sodium



In highly alkaline environment not working

Redox depressants
Electrode reaction Short notation
Normal potential
0
h
E

(V)
2
8
O S
2
+ 2e = 2
2
4
SO
2
8
O S
2
/
2
4
SO
2.050
ClO

+ 2H
+
+ 2e = Cl

+ H
2
O ClO

/Cl

1.640

4
MnO + 8H
+
+5e

= Mn
2+
+ 12H
2
O

4
MnO /Mn
2+

1.510
Cl
2
+2e = 2Cl

Cl
2
/2Cl

1.360
O
2
+ 4H
+
+ 4e = 2H
2
O O
2
/O
2
1.228
Fe
3+
+ e = Fe
2+
Fe
3+
/Fe
2+
0.771
O
2
+ 2e + 2H
+
= H
2
O
2
O
2
/H
2
O
2
0.680
(CN)
2
+ 2H
+
+ 2e = 2HCN (CN)
2
/HCN 0.370
3
6
) Fe(CN + e =
4
6
) Fe(CN
3
6
) Fe(CN /
4
6
) Fe(CN
0.363
Cu
2+
+ e = Cu
+
Cu
2+
/Cu
+
0.167
2H
+
+ 2e = H
2
H
+
/H
2
0.000
2
4
SO + 2H
+
+ 2e =
2
3
SO + H
2
O
2
4
SO /
2
3
SO
0.103
N
2
+ 4H
+
+ 4e = N
2
H
4
(hydrazine) N
2
/N
2
0.33
S + 2e = S
2
S/S
2
0.10
Zn
2+
+ 2e = Zn Zn
2+
/Zn 0.63

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
pH
-1
-0.8
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
p
o
t
e
n
t
i
a
l

E
h
,

V
CuO
Cu
Cu2O
Cu
2+
-
H
C
u
O
2

,
2
-
C
u
O
2
10
0
10
- 2
10
- 4
10
- 6
1
0
-
2
1
0
-
4
1
0
0
1
0
-
6
1
0
-
6
-0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
potential,

V

0
20
40
60
80
100
r
e
c
o
v
e
r
y
,

%
Cu2S
Cu5FeS4
CuFeS2
FeS2
Relationship between flotation recovery of sulfides and potential applied to a
platinum wire immersed in aqueous suspension of a sulfide containing ethyl
xanthate at 1.44 10
5
kmol/m
3
. After Richardson and Walker, 1985
Depressants acting through reactions with flotation reagents
2C
2
H
5
OC(S)SK + 2K
2
SO
3
+ 2KHSO
3
+ 2O
2
2C
2
H
5
OC(S)SOK

2C
2
H
5
OH + 4K
2
S
2
O
3
+ 2CO
2

Removal of xathates from sulfides
Depressants used in flotation

Inorganic depressant Formula Organic depressant
Alum KAl(SO
4
)
2
starch
Ammonia NH
3
quebracho
Calgon polyphosphates tannin
Sodium cyanide NaCN lignin derivatives
Sodium dichromate Na
2
Cr
2
O
7
synthetic polymers
Phosphates various acetic acid
Sodium silicate Na
2
SiO
3
dextrin
Fluoric acid HF humic acid
Sulfuric acid(IV) H
2
SO
3
, SO
2
cellulose derivatives
Sulfuric acid(VI) H
2
SO
4
alginate
Hydrochloric acid HCl chitin derivatives
Sodium sulfate(IV) Na
2
SO
3
citric acid
Zinc sulfate(VI) ZnSO
4
hydrazine
Caustic soda NaOH thioglycolic acid
Oxygen O
2
chelating compounds
Lime Ca(OH)
2
electrons (redox substances)
Sodium carbonate Na
2
CO
3

Sodium hydrosulfide NaHS

2 4 6 8 10 12
pH
50
70
90
110
130
150
t
u
r
b
i
d
i
t
y
,

t
Ti O
2
210
- 3
NaCl
210
- 2
NaCl
210
- 1
NaCl
Dispersion modifiers
iep
Acids, bases, large organic ions