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Minerals
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Interfacial Chemistry of Critical Mineral Flotation
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Interfacial Chemistry of Critical Mineral Flotation

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2025 | Viewed by 3558

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jianyong He

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Guest Editor
Zhongyuan Critical Metals Lab, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: interfacial chemistry of minerals; metal ion-activated flotation; molecular design; first-principles calculation; critical minerals
Prof. Dr. Yijun Cao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: fine particle flotation; flotation kinetics; mineral materials; modelling; surface chemistry; wastewater treatment; waste management
Dr. Fanfan Zhang

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Zhongyuan Critical Metals Lab, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: mineral flotation; process intensification; nanobubbles; fine and ultrafine particles; critical minerals
Dr. Shaohang Cao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Zhongyuan Critical Metals Lab, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: separation; oxidized minerals; flotation reagents; adsorption

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Critical minerals are elemental raw materials used for national defense, energy structure transition, information and communication, and other electronic devices used by the population. However, the concentration of these minerals in raw ore, such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, tungsten, molybdenum, tin, uranium, etc., is extremely low. The separation of critical minerals from low-grade raw ore is a great challenge. As the most robust technique to enrich fine minerals from ore, mineral flotation is widely acknowledged as an efficient, clean, and environmentally friendly technique in fine particle separation. The three components in mineral flotation are mineral particles, bubbles, and liquid water. Due to the existence of flotation reagents, the contact behaviors among these three phases can be manipulated, thereby producing metals and many other materials in our modern world. With the rapid development of nano-techniques and highly selective flotation reagents, flotation is enabling humans to improve their rate of utilization of natural resources. This will further promote the development of society and improve energy utilization efficiency.

This Special Issue seeks papers that demystify the principles of superior enrichment or high selectivity promoted by adjusting the pulp environment, novel flotation reagents, nanobubbles, etc., in the field of flotation. This Special Issue will highlight the latest advances in the theory of mineral flotation and welcomes original research articles, reviews, and case studies including, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • The interfacial chemistry of critical minerals;
  • Colloid chemistry in critical mineral flotation;
  • The flotation of fine or ultrafine particles;
  • Theories or methods to design flotation reagents;
  • Novel adsorption theories of flotation reagents;
  • Beneficiation theory of critical metal minerals.

Dr. Jianyong He
Prof. Dr. Yijun Cao
Dr. Fanfan Zhang
Dr. Shaohang Cao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mineral surface chemistry
  • fine particle flotation
  • critical mineral
  • molecular design
  • surface hydration
  • surface hydroxylation
  • metal ion-activated flotation
  • structure and performance
  • first-principles calculations

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 6260 KiB  
Article
Parameters of Collision and Adhesion Process Between a Rising Bubble and Quartz in Long-Chain Amine Solution and Their Correlation with Flotation
by Shuling Gao, Bochao Li, Lifeng Ma, Wenbao Liu, Sikai Zhao and Yanbai Shen
Minerals 2024, 14(11), 1129; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14111129 - 8 Nov 2024
Viewed by 344
Abstract
The successful adhesion of air bubbles to mineral particles is the crucial to flotation technology. This paper systematically investigates the parameters variation in the dynamic interaction process between a rising bubble and a quartz plate in long-chain amine solutions (dodecylamine, tedecylamine, and octadecylamine). [...] Read more.
The successful adhesion of air bubbles to mineral particles is the crucial to flotation technology. This paper systematically investigates the parameters variation in the dynamic interaction process between a rising bubble and a quartz plate in long-chain amine solutions (dodecylamine, tedecylamine, and octadecylamine). The results show that the type and concentration of long-chain amine affected the collision and adhesion process between bubbles and quartz plates remarkably. The maximum rebound distance (rebound distance after the first collision) of bubbles and the stable-state liquid film thickness gradually decreases with the increase of reagent concentration. Additionally, the collision-rebound duration and induction time shorten accordingly, the surface tension of the solution decreases, the surface hydrophobicity of quartz increases, and the deformation degree and average movement velocity of bubbles decrease. With the increase in carbon chain length, the adsorption form of the amine collector and quartz surface becomes closer to vertical, and the density of water molecules decreases. The recovery of quartz particles is highest with octadecylamine systems, corresponding well with the changing trend in steady-state liquid film thickness. This research provides an effective method for in-depth analysis of the microscopic interaction mechanism between bubbles and mineral surfaces and the prediction of flotation results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfacial Chemistry of Critical Mineral Flotation)
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11 pages, 1460 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Effect of pH and Concentration of Calcium and Sulfate Ions on Coal Flotation
by Adrián A. González-Ibarra, Gloria I. Dávila-Pulido, Blanca R. González-Bonilla, Danay A. Charles, Jorge Carlos Ríos-Hurtado and Armando Salinas-Rodríguez
Minerals 2024, 14(11), 1118; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14111118 - 4 Nov 2024
Viewed by 509
Abstract
The presence of calcium sulfate in the process water during the coal flotation greatly influences the recovery and selectivity of the separation. The concentrations of calcium and sulfate ions modify mineral hydrophobicity by altering surface properties resulting in depression or activation of the [...] Read more.
The presence of calcium sulfate in the process water during the coal flotation greatly influences the recovery and selectivity of the separation. The concentrations of calcium and sulfate ions modify mineral hydrophobicity by altering surface properties resulting in depression or activation of the mineral species. An investigation to evaluate the statistical significance of the effect of the pH and concentration of calcium and sulfate ions on coal flotation was carried out; for this purpose, a 23 factorial design was implemented. A p-value < 0.05 was determined for the effect of calcium and sulfate ion concentrations, indicating that it is statistically significant. The interactions between factors (pH × calcium, pH × sulfate, calcium × sulfate and pH × calcium × sulfate) are also statistically significant, but the interaction between the concentration of calcium and sulfate ions has a notable influence according to the F statistic value. Employing 800 and 1920 mg/L of calcium and sulfate ions as experimental conditions yields a recovery of 90.4% with a concentrate containing 13% ash. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfacial Chemistry of Critical Mineral Flotation)
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13 pages, 3305 KiB  
Article
Selective Inhibition Mechanisms of Fe(III) in the Flotation of Lepidolite
by Feifan Wang, Lei Liu, Jingjing Zhang, Yijun Cao, Jianyong He and Guosheng Li
Minerals 2024, 14(9), 851; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14090851 - 23 Aug 2024
Viewed by 684
Abstract
Lepidolite, crucial for lithium extraction, is primarily processed through flotation. However, conventional flotation inhibitors pose environmental challenges. This study introduces Fe(III) as a selective and eco-friendly inhibitor in lepidolite flotation. We investigated its impact on flotation performance and interaction mechanisms with feldspar, quartz, [...] Read more.
Lepidolite, crucial for lithium extraction, is primarily processed through flotation. However, conventional flotation inhibitors pose environmental challenges. This study introduces Fe(III) as a selective and eco-friendly inhibitor in lepidolite flotation. We investigated its impact on flotation performance and interaction mechanisms with feldspar, quartz, and lepidolite. Adsorption studies revealed that dodecylamine (DDA) selectively adsorbs onto lepidolite when Fe(III) is present. Consistent contact angle and flotation results showed reduced hydrophobicity and recovery rates for feldspar and quartz, with minimal impact on lepidolite. Zeta potential measurements indicated lower potentials for feldspar and quartz compared to lepidolite. Notably, the addition of Fe(III) altered the isoelectric points of quartz and feldspar, suggesting stronger Fe(III) adsorption on these minerals. Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed reduced DDA adsorption on feldspar and quartz surfaces due to Fe(III) adsorption, while DDA adsorption on lepidolite remained largely unaffected. The mechanism underlying Fe(III)’s selective inhibition on feldspar and quartz involves their more negative surfaces compared to lepidolite, which facilitates Fe(III) adsorption and inhibits DDA adsorption. This study offers insights into mechanisms relevant to systems using metal ions as depressants, providing valuable references for similar research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfacial Chemistry of Critical Mineral Flotation)
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11 pages, 3638 KiB  
Article
Density Functional Theory Study on Structure and Properties of Sulfurized Cerussite (110) Surface
by Cong Han, Yuxin Ao, Yanbai Shen, Sikai Zhao, Qiang Zhao and Shijie Zhou
Minerals 2024, 14(8), 801; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14080801 - 7 Aug 2024
Viewed by 617
Abstract
Cerussite is an essential lead oxide mineral with increasing economic importance as lead sulfide resources deplete. This study utilizes density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the structural and electronic properties of the sulfurized cerussite (110) surface. The results show that when the cerussite [...] Read more.
Cerussite is an essential lead oxide mineral with increasing economic importance as lead sulfide resources deplete. This study utilizes density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the structural and electronic properties of the sulfurized cerussite (110) surface. The results show that when the cerussite crystal cleaves along the (110) plane, only the surface layer atoms undergo relaxation to reconstruct the surface, while the atoms located deeper have almost no impact on the reconstructed surface structure. The Pb atoms on the cerussite (110) surface react with the sulfurizing agent to form a PbS deposition layer with a structure similar to galena. This PbS deposition layer is tightly adsorbed onto the lead oxide layer through Pb-S bonds formed by S and subsurface lead oxide structure Pb atoms. The chemical reactivity of Pb atoms in the PbS layer on the sulfurized cerussite (110) surface is more potent than that of Pb atoms on the galena surface; additionally, the Pb atoms closer to the lead oxide layer exhibit slightly higher chemical reactivity than those farther away. This study provides insight into sulfurized cerussite surfaces’ structure and properties at an atomic level and assists in explaining the floating behavior of cerussite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfacial Chemistry of Critical Mineral Flotation)
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13 pages, 4836 KiB  
Article
Effect of the Interaction between Clays and Cations on Froth Rheology in Flotation
by Chao Li, Zhongren Wu, Zhihang Wu, Xianggen Chen and Yijun Cao
Minerals 2024, 14(7), 706; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14070706 - 12 Jul 2024
Viewed by 637
Abstract
The significance of froth rheology in affecting flotation performance is widely acknowledged. Clays could deteriorate flotation performance by altering froth rheology. The presence of cations further complicates the flotation system. Thus far, the interaction between clay minerals and cations and their impact on [...] Read more.
The significance of froth rheology in affecting flotation performance is widely acknowledged. Clays could deteriorate flotation performance by altering froth rheology. The presence of cations further complicates the flotation system. Thus far, the interaction between clay minerals and cations and their impact on froth rheology remains unclear. The present work selected three typical clays and cations with two valences (Na+ and Ca2+) to investigate their interacting influences on froth rheology. The results indicate that clays exhibit diverse froth rheological behaviors, with increasing cation strength from 0 to 0.1 mol/L. For montmorillonite, the froth viscosity initially decreased and subsequently increased. For kaolinite, upon the addition of cations, there was a significant decrease in froth viscosity; nevertheless, froth viscosity barely changed as the valency and concentration of the cations increased. Talc produced a considerably more viscous froth, and froth viscosity continued to rise with increasing concentrations of cations. The underlying mechanisms of the different responses in froth rheology were also investigated. The findings of this work have the potential to advance the optimization of flotation for complex ores containing clay minerals in high-salt processing water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfacial Chemistry of Critical Mineral Flotation)
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