Application of poly aluminum chloride in cassiterite flocculation flotation

In the separation process of micro-fine cassiterite, traditional gravity separation and flotation methods proved ineffective in isolating cassiterite from gangue. This study introduced poly aluminum chloride (PAC) as a novel flocculant in the flocculation-flotation separation of cassiterite, quartz, and clinochlore within a sodium oleate (NaOL) system, which led to successful cassiterite separation. Flotation experiments indicated that the maximum recovery rate of cassiterite reached 62.48 % with a grade of 81.09 % under optimal conditions: pH 8, sodium oleate dosage of 80 mg/L, and PAC dosage of 7 mg/L. Additionally, the flocculation-flotation mechanism was examined through contact angle analysis, laser particle size analysis, zeta potential measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) testing. The findings demonstrated that PAC effectively flocculated cassiterite. Notably, the incorporation of sodium oleate did not diminish the flocculation strength or the collecting capacity of PAC.