Use of organic polymers in the flotation of polymetallic ores: A review

Organic polymers are used in flotation for a wide range of oxides, silicates and industrial minerals as dispersants, depressants and as flocculants. Most of the investigations with polymers were conducted in this area and theories were advanced to explain the mode of adsorption on non-metallic mineral surfaces. In the area of sulphide flotation, polymers have found only limited application, although there is a great potential for the application of polymers in the selective separation of sulphide minerals. The use of polymers in sulphide flotation was not studied extensively and consequently, there are few reliable data available to explain the adsorption mechanism of polymers on sulphides.