Analysis of flotation and aggregation characteristics of muscovite particles through the extended DLVO theory

Abstract

In this study, the flotation and aggregation characteristics of muscovite mineral particles were determined as a function of dodecyl amine hydrochloride (DAH) concentration and correlated with the theoretically calculated particle-particle and particle-bubble interactions using extended DLVO theory. In this series of tests, the flotation and aggregation characteristics of the muscovite mineral were determined with micro-flotation and turbidity measurements, respectively. In addition to these analyses, surface tension measurements were carried out as a function of pH. Also, the zeta potential and contact angle measurements were also performed as a function of DAH concentration prior to the flotation and aggregation tests. The experimental studies showed that while almost minimum and maximum points of flotation and turbidity values were obtained up to a critical concentration of DAH as 6.10-6 mol/dm(3), a significant increment was obtained following that concentration. Accordingly, while repulsive forces dominated the interactions up to that concentration, the attractive forces became more effective at further concentrations such as 2.10(-5), 4.10(-5), 8.10(-5), and 1.10(-4) mol/dm(3) DAH concentrations for both particle-particle and particle-bubble interactions. This in turn suggested that the determination of energy barrier heights between particle-particle and particle bubble may provide important insights into both flotation and aggregation characteristics of particles.