Mining, Minerals Processing and Metallurgical Engineering

Selective flotation of ilmenite from titanaugite under weakly acidic pH conditions using 2-amino-1-propanol as novel depressant

  • 戴 川,陈 攀,杨耀辉,孙 伟,王洪彬
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  • 1. School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China;
    2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China;
    3. Institute of Multipurpose Utilization of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Science, Chengdu 610041, China;
    4. Pangang Group Design and Research Institute of Mining Industry Co., Ltd., Panzhihua 617063, China;
    5. School of Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China

Online published: 2025-11-04

Abstract

The potential of 2-amino-1-propanol (AP) as a novel depressant in selectively floating ilmenite from titanaugite under weakly acidic conditions was investigated. Micro-flotation results show that AP significantly reduces the recovery of titanaugite while having no evident impact on ilmenite flotation. Subsequent bench-scale flotation tests further confirm a remarkable improvement in separation efficiency upon the introduction of AP. Contact angle and adsorption tests reveal a stronger affinity of AP towards the titanaugite surface in comparison to ilmenite. Zeta potential measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses exhibit favorable adsorption characteristics of AP on titanaugite, resulting from a synergy of electrostatic attraction and chemical interaction. In contrast, electrostatic repulsion hinders any significant interaction between AP and the ilmenite surface. These findings highlight the potential of AP as a highly efficient depressant for ilmenite flotation, paving the way for reduced reliance on sulfuric acid in the industry.

Cite this article

戴 川,陈 攀,杨耀辉,孙 伟,王洪彬 . Selective flotation of ilmenite from titanaugite under weakly acidic pH conditions using 2-amino-1-propanol as novel depressant[J]. Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 2025 , 35(4) : 1325 -1337 . DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(24)66751-8

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