UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE INGENIERIA

FACULTAD DE INGENIERIA GEOLOGICA, MINERA Y

METALURGICA
ESCUELA DE METALURGIA

QUIMICA ORGANICA Y
POLIMEROS
A comparative study on the degradation of ethyl
xanthate collector by O3,UV254nm,
UV185+254nm, O3/UV254nm and
O3/UV185+254nm processes
Docente: Mery Cecilia Gómez Marroquín, D Sc.

Alumno: Thirsza Paula Acuña Huillca

Agosto, 2020
CONTENT
Introduction

Antecedents

Justification

Objetives

Metodology

Results

Conclusions

Bibliography References
INTRODUCTION
The xanthate dosage generally ranges from 30 to 300 g ton−1 ore.
Thus, the global xanthate consumption was more than 52,000 tons
per year even in 1980s [1].

Although xanthates dosed in flotation circuits can be consumed by

sulfide minerals, it is reported that nearly half of xanthates are still
remained in the tailing discharge [2].

Therefore, the flotation effluents containing residual xanthates

should be treated properly before discharged into environment or
recycled into flotation circuits.

How? coagulation and precipitation [8], adsorption [9,10],

biodegradation [11,12], chemical oxidation [13] and advanced
oxidation processes (AOPs)
 ANTECEDENTS
1.- J. Mielczarski, The role of impurities of spharelite in the adsorption of
ethyl xanthate and its flotation, Int. J. Miner. Process 16 (1986) 179-194.

2.-R. Rezael, M. Massinael, A.Z. Moghaddam, Removal of the residual

xanthate from flotation plant tailings using modified bentonite, Miner.
Eng. 119 (2018) 1-10.

3.-Y. B. Dong, H. Lin, Q.I. Liu, H.X. Huo. Treatment of flotation

wastewater using biological activated carbon, J. Cent. South Univ. 21
(2014) 3580-3587.

4.- E. Chokalingam, S. Subramanian, K.A. Natarajan. Studies on

biodegradation of organic flotation collectors using Bacillus polymyxa.
Hydrometallurgy 71 (2003) 249-256.
 JUSTIFICATION
To separate sulfide minerals from ores, xanthates are widely used
as flotation collectors in global mining industry. However, nearly
half of xanthates dosed into flotation circuits are discharged into
flotation effluents.

Residual xanthates and byproducts must be removed because of

their toxicity to animals and detrimental effects on mineral
flotation.

In this work, the degradation of ethyl xanthate (EX) collector by

O3, UV254nm, UV185+254nm, O3/UV254nm and
O3/UV185+254nm was compared.
OBJETIVES

General:

(1) to compare the removal and mineralization of EX collector by

five processes,

Specifics:

(2) to evaluate the effect of initial pH on EX degradation,

(3) to reveal the generation of sulfur byproducts (CS2 and H2S)

during the EX degradation, and

(4) to identify degradation byproducts of EX by the

O3/UV185+254nm process.
METODOLOGY

Materials:
The 40W UV254nm and UV185+254nm
lamps
Potassium ethyl xanthate (EX)
barium chlorite and acetonitrile
Desionized water
Equipos
 Methods:

Measurement of the concentrations of EX,

TOC, SO42−, CS2 and H2S
Determination of emitted amounts of CS2
and H2S into gas
Analysis of solution ORP and conductivity
Analysis of degradation byproducts
 RESULTS

Degradation of EX collector by:

- sole O3,
-UV254nm,
-UV185+254nm,
-O3/UV254nm and
-O3/UV185+254nm
The mineralization of EX collector
The changes of solution ORP and
conductivity
Effect of initial pH on EX degradation
Distribution of sulfur byproducts
Identification of degradation byproducts
Byproducts indentified by SPE/GC-MS:
 CONCLUSIONS
1.- The degradation of ethyl xanthate (EX) collector has been compared
by five AOPs. Both the kapp and mineralization extent for EX degradation
have the following order:
O3/UV185+254nm>O3/UV254nm>UV185+254nm>UV254nm>sole O3.
Particularly, the kapp and mineralization extent for the O3/UV185+254nm
are 3–6 folds higher than those for sole O3.

2.- The SPE/GC–MS indicates that 4 byproducts are still remained in

treated EX solution at EX removal of 100 % and carbon mineralization of
55.06 %, indicating the difficulty of complete mineralization of EX
collector even by the strongest oxidation system (O3/UV185+254nm)
 BIBLIOGRAPHY REFERENCES

1.- P. Somasundaran, B.M. Moudgil, Reagents in Mineral Technology,

Marcel Dekker Inc., New York, 1988.

2.- J. Kemppinen, A. Aaltonen, T. Sihvonen, J. Leppinen, H. Sireh,

Xanthate degradation occurring in flotation process waters of a gold
concentrator plant, Miner. Eng. 80 (2015) 1-7.

3.-X.F. Li. Tetratogenic toxicity of butyl xanthate to frog embryos. Acta

Sci. Circumstantiae 10 (1990) 213-216.

4.- Y. Shen, D.R. Nagaraj, R. Farinato, P. Somasundaran. Study of

xanthate decomposition in aqueous solutions, Miner. Eng. 93 (2016) 10-
15.