1987 Volume 24 Issue 12 Pages 777-782
Studies were made on the chemical constituents of aqueous solutions containing both fluorite and calcite at various mixing ratios and on the effects of the chemical constituents on the flotation characteristics of each of the minerals. A special apparatus simulating the real flotation in plural minerals system was developed by the authors. All experiments were carried out without pH adjustments except in the single fluorite system where KOH was used for pH adjustments. The concentrations of the ionic species from both minerals were regulated by apparent solubility products and the ionic species adsorbed on each mineral surface. The flotation characteristics of liberated fluorite or calcite in the mixed system with both the minerals differed from that in the single systems. The difference was caused by the effect of the ionic species in the aqueous solution with both minerals. The effect was remarkable even with 0.7% calcite. The adsorption-washing-flotation method was effective in the separation of fluorite from calcite.
