Utilization of soluble starch as a depressant for the reverse flotation of diaspore from kaolinite

The utilization of a non-toxic natural polysaccharide, soluble starch, in the flotation of diaspore and kaolinite with emphasis on depression of diaspore in the reverse flotation of bauxite ores by using a Gemini cationic collector, is reported in this work. Firstly, the depressant effect of soluble starch was studied by pure mineral micro-flotation of diaspore and kaolinite as functions of the depressant dosage and pulp pH. The results show that soluble starch depresses diaspore much better than kaolinite. When pH is over 10, a satisfactory separation of the alumina and the silicate minerals can be approached. Moreover, micro-flotation tests of artificial mixed minerals and bench scale reverse flotation of the diasporic bauxite ore was complementing conducted. The non-charged starch is highly proved to be an effective and selective depressant for the reverse flotation of diaspore from the gangue minerals like kaolinite. By zeta potential measurement, adsorption studies and D-IR spectra analysis, the mechanism of interaction between starch and the diaspore surfaces is established, which is the formation of a five membered ring complexes on mineral substrates. The number of broken Al–O bonds of diaspore is much more than that of kaolinite, so the selectivity separation of diaspore from kaolinite in this system is feasible.