DETERMINATION OF FLOCCULATION AND ADSORPTION-DESORPTION CHARACTERISTICS OF Na-FELDSPAR CONCENTRATE IN THE PRESENCE OF DIFFERENT POLYMERS

Abstract

Feldspars are among the most important mineral groups on the earth. Although the group of feldspar has 20 minerals, only nine of them are well known. These minerals make up the largest percentage of minerals in nature. Esan albite beneficiation plant faces serious disposal problems in dewatering the minus 20 mu m albite concentrate. Flocculation studies conducted with albite in the presence of various charged and nonionic polymers indicate that nonionic polymers exhibit the best performance. Electrokinetic studies on pure albite shows that it is negatively charged throughout the entire pH and the isoelectric point of the mineral is below pH 2. Adsorption of the nonionic polymer (N-300) is found to increase with increasing pH and concentration of the polymer. A hydrogen bonding mechanism between the polymer carbonyl (-C=O) or the amide (-NH2) groups and the surface oxygen species is proposed to be responsible for the adsorption of nonionic polymer onto albite.