ROLE OF COLLECTOR AND FROTHER, AND OF HYDROPHOBICITY OLEOPHILICITY OF PYRITE ON THE SEPARATION OF PYRITE FROM COAL BY FLOTATION

The effect of dodecane and three different alcoholic frothers [n-butylalcohol, n-hexylalcohol and methylisobutylcarbinol (MIBC)], on the flotation separation of pyrite from Pittsburgh No. 8 coal was investigated. Addition of dodecane resulted in a decrease of selectivity and this was attributed on the basis of the induction time measurements to the smaller difference between the oleophilicities of coal and pyrite than the difference between their hydrophobicities. The results of induction time measurements also showed pyrite to be hydrophilic at the air-water interface and hydrophobic at the oil-water interface. Frother consumption was found to be dependent on the molecular weight and chemical structure with MIBC, the larger and more complex one, being the most effective. However, the frother type was found to have no measurable effect on the separation itself of pyrite and non-pyritic minerals from coal.