Bio-collector alternative for the recovery of organic matter in flotation processes

• Recovery of organic matter by change of electric charge caused by formation of monolayers.
• Application of bacteria as a collector in flotation processes.
• Enhance the flotability of fine particles of bio-modified coal.
• Utilization of bacteria as biological alternative to chemical reagents collectors for coal flotation.
• Possibility future for development of flotation processes minerals friendly environment.

In this study a strain of Staphylococcus carnosus whose characteristics of hydrophobicity and ability to change the surface charge of some minerals such as coal, by excreting some exopolymers, has been used as bio-collector to evaluate the recovery of fine coal tailings mineral through micro-flotation, from the two sub-basins located in the Sabinas basin and identified as: Sabinas (CFP) and Rio Escondido (CFM), located in Coahuila, Mexico. Results show that in the absence of microorganism recovery is about 50% and that using S. carnosus recovery reaches values close to 90% in both samples of coal for a time of 12 h and a pH of 9. Mechanism has been investigated using techniques such as adhesion kinetics, adsorption isotherms, and infrared spectroscopy. It illustrates that biofilm consisted of excreted chemicals, such as fatty acids, improves the hydrophobicity of the coal surface.