Reexamining the functions of zinc sulfate as a selective depressant in differential sulfide flotation—The role of coagulation

Zinc sulfate is a well-known selective depressant for zinc sulfide minerals such as sphalerite during the flotation of complex Cu–Pb–Zn sulfide ores. It deactivates sphalerite flotation by substituting the activating metal ions, and depresses sphalerite flotation by forming hydrophilic coatings of zinc hydroxyl species on sphalerite surfaces. However, we recently observed that zinc sulfate could also induce coagulation of fine sphalerite particles and such coagulation significantly reduced the mechanical entrainment of the fine sphalerite. Therefore, it seems that the effectiveness of zinc sulfate as a selective sphalerite depressant is not only due to its ability to make mineral surface hydrophilic, which reduces genuine flotation, but also due to its ability to coagulate the mineral, which reduces mechanical entrainment. Zinc sulfate is a “dual function” selective flotation depressant.

Graphical abstractMechanical entrainment of sphalerite in froth flotation is dramatically reduced when the fine particles of sphalerite are aggregated by zinc sulfate.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide