The chlorite group of minerals exhibit a wide range of surface charging properties in aqueous suspensions. A systematic review of the literature as it relates to the flotation, depression and surface properties of chlorite and related minerals was undertaken, with a view to using this information to help develop suitable reagent schemes which might allow the selective removal of chlorite from sulphide and oxide flotation systems. The surface charge on chlorite mineral particles originates from permanent charges on basal planes of the crystallites and pH dependent (amphoteric) charge on crystallite edges, typical of clay minerals. The net charge on chlorite particles depends upon the edge/face plane ratio (crystallite size), the solution pH and the presence of specifically adsorbing ions (principally Ca2+). Both cationic and anionic surfactants (collectors) are observed to adsorb on chlorite particles, over a wide range of pH conditions. This apparently contradictory behaviour is most likely due to the dual modes of surface charging and the effects of cation substitution into the chlorite lattice. In the case of anionic collectors, some specific (chemical) adsorption energy may also contribute to the adsorption properties. Chlorite depressants used in oxide and sulphide flotation are typical of those used for other silicate minerals. The most common of these depressants are sodium silicate (Na2SiO3), carboxymethylcellulose and fluoro compounds (hydrogen fluoride and sodium hexafluorosilicate). There have been no studies of the effects of the chlorite surface charging properties upon depressant selection, although it appears likely that the edge/face plane ratio will strongly influence the depressant adsorption behaviour.
Alvarez-SilvaM, Uribe-SalasA, MirnezamiM, FinchJA. 2010. The point of zero charge of phyllosilicate minerals using the Mular–Roberts titration technique, Miner. Eng., 23, 383–389.
2.
AndrysT, ZmudzinskiK, GrotowskiA. 1981. Flotation of cassiterite from chlorite–mica–quartz shales, Rudy Met. Niezelaz., 26, 265–268.
3.
BaesCF, MesmerRE. 1976. The hydrolysis of cations, 489, New York, Wiley-Interscience.
BelardiG, RiceD, MarabiniA. 1991. Column flotation of raw talc, Ind. Min., 12, 13–17.
6.
BelardiG, RiceD, MarabiniA. 1995. Column flotation of a talc ore, in Processing of hydrophobic minerals and fine coal, (ed. , LaskowskiJ S, PolingG W), 363–372, Montreal, CanadianInstitute of Mining and Metallurgy.
7.
BeraldoJL. 1981. Concentration of apatite in the presence of titanium and silicate minerals, Brazilian Patent 7906213.
8.
CasesJM, PigaL. 1992. Beneficiation of talc-chlorites from Pyrenean and Valmalenco ores, Comm. Eur. Comm. EUR1364, 3, 1023–1029.
9.
ChizhevskiiVB, SavinchukLG, ShapovalovaNA, IvanovaLA. 1981. Mechanism of the depressing action of sodium tripolyphosphate, Obogashch. Rud. (Irkutsk), 35–42.
10.
CollinsDN. 1967. Investigation of collector systems for the flotation of cassiterite, Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. Sect. C, 1967, 76, C77–C93.
11.
CollinsDN, KirkupJL, DaveyMN, ArthurC. 1968.Flotation of cassiterite: development of a flotation process, Trans.Inst. Min. Metall. Sect. C, 1968, 77, C1–C13.
12.
CollinsDN, WrightR, WatsonD. 1984. Use of alkyl imino-methylene phosphonic acids as collectors for oxide and salt-type minerals, in Reagents for the mineral industry, (ed. , JonesM J, OblattJ), 1–12, London, The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy.
13.
DominiqueR. 1973. Depressant for froth flotation process, British Patent 1320350.
14.
EdwardsCR, KipkieWB, AgarGE. 1980. The effects of slime coatings of the serpentine minerals, chrysotile and lizardite, on pentlandite flotation, Int. J. Miner. Process., 7, 33–42.
15.
FornasieroD, RalstonJ. 2005. Cu(II) and Ni(II) activation of quartz, lizardite, and chlorite, Int. J. Min. Process., 76, 75–81.
16.
HancockWA, WangSS. 1993. Flotation process for purifying calcite, US Patent 5261539.
17.
HarrisPM, HollickCT, WrightR. 1967. Mineral separation for age determination, Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. Sect. B, 76, B181–B208.
18.
HendersonGS, VrdoljakGA, EbyRK, WicksFJ, RachlinFJ, CollinsAL. 1994. Atomic force microscopy studies of layer silicate minerals, Colloids Surf. A., 87A, 197–212.
19.
HillTE, KenworthyH, RitcheyRA, GerardJA. 1969. Separation of feldspar, quartz, and mica from granite, Report of investigation no. RI7245, United States Bureau of Mines, Washington, DC, USA, 25.
20.
HouotR, JoussemetR, YangS, BaezaR. 1995. Beneficiation of talc products, in Processing of hydrophobic minerals and fine coal, (ed. , LaskowskiJ S, PolingG W), 373–384, Montreal, Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
21.
HussainSA, DemirciS, OezbayogluG. 1996. Zeta potential measurements on three clays from Turkey and effects of clays on coal flotation, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 184, 536–541.
22.
IsakovGKh, MatsuevLP. 1972. Flotation of cassiterite from the tailings from beneficiation of hard-to-beneficiate finely disseminated ores, Tr. Vses. Nauch.-Issled. Inst. Zolota Redk. Met., 32, 356–362.
23.
KovachevK, KlisuranovG, PetrovaV, StoitsevaR. 1970. Flotation of lean copper-zinc ore from the Gramatikovo ore field with a complex structure of the minerals, God. Vissh. Minno-Geol. Inst. Sofia, 15, 159–168.
24.
KovalEM. 1982. Prospects for industrial utilization of complex wolframite–scheelite-containing ores of stockwork type, Obogashch. Rud. (Leningrad), 27, 14–16.
25.
LyubimovIP, ShokhinVN. 1965. Flotation properties of ilmenite and certain accessory minerals in ores from the Kusinskii deposit, V. N. Nauch. Tr. Magnitogorsk. Gorn. Inst., 33, 55–60.
26.
MashanyareHS, StoreyMJ. 1986. Problems associated with the processing of nickel ores, Proc. 25th Annual Conf. of Metallurgists, (ed. , OzberkE, MarcusonS W), Montreal, Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 1, 13–15.
27.
MillerJD, Abdel KhalekN, BasilioC, El-ShallH, FaK, ForssbergKSE, FuerstenauMC, MathurS, NalaskowskiJ, RaoRH, SomasundaranP, WangX, ZhangP, FuerstenauM C, et al.2007Flotation chemistry and technology of nonsulphide minerals, in Froth flotation, a century of innovation, 465–553, Littleton, CO, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc.
28.
MyasnikovaGA, KrasnikovaNA. 1971. Effect of temperature on the interaction of some minerals with sodium hexafluorosilicate, Izv. Vyssh. Ucheb. Zaved. Tsvet. Met., 14, 24–27.
29.
PrasadMS, ChakravortyN, MathurGP, AltekarVA. 1975. The development of a mineral beneficiation process for the concentration and recovery of molybdenum minerals from the low grade ores of the Singhbhum Thrust Belt, Bihar, India, Proc. 11th International Mineral Processing Congress, Cagliari, Italy, April 1975, University of Cagliari, 1095–1122.
30.
RajaA. 1974. Investigations on flotation behaviour of Ingaldhal copper ores near Chitradurga (Karnataka), Ind. Chem. J., 9, 23–26.
31.
RaoSR, Espinoza-GomezR, FinchJA, BissR. 1988. Effects of water chemistry on the flotation of pyrochlore and silicate minerals, Miner. Eng., 1, 189–202.
32.
RhodesMK. 1979. The effects of the physical variables of carboxymethyl cellulose reagents on the depression of magnesia bearing minerals in Western Australia nickel sulfide ores, in Proc. 13th International Mineral Processing Congress, (ed. , LaskowskiJ), Vol. 1, 281–302, Wroclaw, Panst. Wydawn.
33.
SazhinYuG, PilatBV, NovikovVI, SokolovskiiVV, AigininaShA. 1974. Interrelation of the flotation properties of gold, sericite, and chlorite, Metall. Obogashch., 9, 128–130.
34.
ShinBS, ChoiKS, KeeKS, LeeMS, KimJW. 1987. Flotation of ultrafine scheelite, chlorite, and montmorillonite, Taehan Kwangsan Hakhoe Chi, 24, 391–401.
35.
ShinBS, ChoiKS, KeeKS, LeeMS. 1988. A study on the adsorption of sodium oleate on scheelite and chlorite, Taehan Kwangsan Hakhoe Chi, 25, 71–78.
36.
SiffertB, ZundelJP. 1985. Retention of sodium p-octylbenzene sulfonate by clays in the presence of an electrolyte (potassium chloride), Clay Miner., 20, 189–208.
37.
SondiI, BiscanJ, PravdicV. 1996. Electrokinetics of pure clay minerals revisited, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 178, 514–522.
38.
SondiI, MilatO, PravdicV. 1997. Electrokinetic potentials of clay surfaces modified by polymers, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 189, 66–73.
39.
SondiI, PravdicV. 1998. The colloid and surface chemistry of clays in natural waters, Croat Chem. Acta, 71, 1061–1074.
40.
SondiI, VelimirJ. 1996. Electrokinetics of natural and mechanically modified ripidolite and beidellite clays, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 181, 463–469.
41.
StummW, MorganJJ. 1995.Aquatic chemistry: chemical equilibria and rates in natural waters, 3rd edn, 1022, New York, John Wiley & Sons.
42.
SysilaS, LaappasH, HeiskanenK, RuokonenE. 1996. The effect of surface potential on the flotation of chromite, Miner. Eng., 9, 519–525.
43.
VrdoljakGA, HendersonGS, FawcettJJ, WicksFJ, FrederickJ. 1994. Structural relaxation of the chlorite surface imaged by the atomic microscope, J. Am. Mineral., 79, 107–112.
44.
WangY, HuY, HeP, GuG. 2004. Reverse flotation for removal of silicates from diasporic-bauxite, Miner. Eng., 17, 63–68.
45.
XuZ, PlittV, LiuQ. 2004. Recent advances in reverse flotation of diasporic ores – a Chinese experience, Miner. Eng., 17, 1007–1015.
46.
ZhengG, LiuL, LiuJ, WangY, CaoY. 2009. Study of chlorite and its influencing factors, Procedia Earth Planet. Sci., 1, 830–837.
