Estudo cinético da microflotação do espodumênio utilizando como coletor óleo de mamona saponificado.

Abstract

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.