EFFECT OF PH IN FROTH FLOATATION RECOVERY

In general minerals develop a positive surface charge under acidic conditions and a negative
charge under alkaline conditions. Since each mineral changes from negatively-charged to
positively-charged at some particular pH, it is possible to manipulate the attraction of collectors
to their surfaces by pH adjustment. There are also other, more complex effects due to pH that
change the way that particular collectors adsorb on mineral surfaces. In flotation, the pH of the
slurry is crucial, as in solution, the extent of ionization, hydrolysis of surfactants and the charge
on the mineral surface is determined by pH. This in turn influences the possibility of the collector
to attach on the surface. Therefore, at the various ionized solid/liquid interfaces, pH can either
helps or hinders the adsorption of the surfactant, contributing to greater or lesser selectivity of
flotation.
Why at high pH recovery dramatically decreases?

The effect of pH on the floatability of pyrite, serpentine and quartz is shown in Fig. 1. It is
evident from the picture that the flotation recovery of serpentine and quartz is independent of pH,
only pyrite is dependent to pH. T he flotation recovery of pyrite is very high under acidic and
neutral conditions. As the pH was increased, pyrite recovery dramatically decreased due to
formation of hydrophilic iron oxy-hydroxy species on the surface of pyrite at high pH values.
The adsorption of PAX on pyrite surface decreases at alkaline pH range.
In summary, floatation is pH sensitive. Floatability sharply decreases with increasing pH. This
decrease is more marked under alkaline conditions than acidic, since activation kinematics is
much slower in alkaline pH range. Raising pH gives rise to intense mineral depression, thus

decreasing hydrophobicity of mineral because of the formation of hydrophilic metal hydroxides

on the mineral, and hence floatation ceases.