Gold enhanced spectroelectrochemical investigation of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, isopropyl xanthate and butylethoxycarbonylthiourea adsorption on minerals

The interaction of the flotation collectors 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, potassium isopropyl xanthate and butylethoxycarbonylthiourea with chalcopyrite, chalcocite, pyrite and galena has been investigated using surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. For metals and minerals, adsorption occurs via charge transfer to form a metal–sulfur bond and, in situations for which the reversible potential of the formation of the bulk phase is known, at underpotentials to the reversible compound formation.