Selectivity in the polymer assisted separation of galena from quartz by flotation

The flotation of ultrafine (< 5 μm) sulphide minerals is notoriously poor. A method of selectively aggregating ultrafine galena particles with coarse galena particles has been developed. Key features of this method include: minimising entrapment of non-values into the aggregate structure and; provision of adequate free surface to allow collector adsorption after aggregation so that separation can be achieved using conventional flotation methods. Results from particle interaction and polymer adsorption experiments are presented. Flotation experiments on mixed mineral, galena-quartz, slurries using both traditional and the newly proposed aggregation method, over a range of polymer concentrations, are reported.