ARAÚJO, M. S. G.; ARAÚJO, Maria do Socorro Gonçalves de.
Resumo:
The present work is a microflotation kinetic study of Spodumene of
Seridozinho-Paraiba mine origin.
The microflotation tests were made with anionic collectors (Sodium Oleate
and Saponified Castor Oil), using a modified Hallimond tube. The Spodumene mineral
samples were prepared by fragmentation method and classified to the granular size between
-65 to +300 mesh. The effect of variables on the Spodumene notability studied were:
collector concentration, pulp pH. pulp density, particle size and Nitrogen gas flow rate.
The results showed that the saponified Castor Oil collector was as efficient
as Sodium Oleate having a notability of 80 % between pH 7 and 9. The notability rate
increased up to 0,45 floted fraction/min with increasing the mineral particle concentration
up to 1.25 x 10* g/ml. However the flotability rate increased with decreasing particle size
between average diameter of 190 um to 61.5 um. The flotability improved from 70 a 80 %
when the Nitrogen gas flow was increased from 30 to 120 ml/min.
A first order kinetics with respect to Spodumene concentration was verified
and the flotation rate constants of 0,06; 0.14 and 0.36 min"1 were obtained for the respective
average particle diameter 190; 112.5 and 61,5 um.