In Situ Characterization of the Locked Particle Behavior of Sulfide Minerals Using Non-Destructive Electrochemical Measurements

Year 2024, Volume: 26 Issue: 77, 255 - 263, 27.05.2024

Damla İzerdem , Zeliha Ertekin

https://doi.org/10.21205/deufmd.2024267709

Abstract

The flotation of sulfide minerals mostly depends on electrochemical reactions occurring on the mineral surfaces. Understanding the interaction mechanisms in the pulp is crucial for explaining the effects of different flotation chemicals on flotation performance. For this purpose, electrochemical techniques are used in the flotation of sulfide minerals by utilizing the semiconductor properties of these minerals. In this study, three non-destructive electrochemical measurements - open circuit potential (OCP), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) - were used to assess the electrochemical reactivity of the locked and liberated sulfide particles. Various combinations of mineral electrodes - Galena/Pyrite (0.52 cm2), Galena/Sphalerite (0.35 cm2), pure Galena (0.20 cm2), pure Sphalerite (0.80 cm2) and pure Pyrite (0.18 cm2) - were tested. A three-electrode electrochemical cell configuration was set up to investigate the electrochemical responses of the prepared electrodes. The changes in the surface chemistry of the mineral electrodes, in the presence (1×10-4 M NaEX) and absence of a collector were compared in detail. During the process, charge transitions occurred between the minerals in the locked particle mineral electrode due to galvanic interactions regardless of the surface area. Thus, the flotation behavior of the minerals changed by reducing and oxidizing each other. The present study suggests that the electrochemical methods may be an alternative technique to the conventional batch scale flotation tests as they can easily monitor the effect of any flotation reagents in the system causing possible reactions that may occur on sulfide mineral surfaces.

Keywords

Sulfide Minerals, Surface Chemistry, NaEX, Cyclic Voltammetry, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Sülfür Minerallerinde Bağlı Tane Davranımının Tahribatsız Elektrokimyasal Ölçümler Kullanılarak Yerinde Tayini

Abstract

Sülfürlü cevher flotasyonu çoğunlukla, mineral yüzeyinde oluşan elektrokimyasal tepkimelere bağlıdır. Çeşitli flotasyon kimyasallarının flotasyon verimine etkisini anlamak açısından, palp içerisindeki karşılıklı tepki mekanizmalarını açıklayabilmek önemlidir. Sülfürlü minerallerin yarı iletken özelliklerinden yararlanılarak kullanılan elektrokimyasal yöntemler ile flotasyon uygulamalarında bu mekanizmalar ortaya konabilmektedir. Yapılan bu çalışmada, üç farklı tahribatsız elektrokimyasal yöntem – Açık Devre Potansiyeli (OCP), Dönüşümlü Voltametri (CV) ve Elektriksel Empedans Spektroskopisi (EIS) – kullanılarak bağlı ve serbest tanelerin elektrokimyasal tepkiselliğini ortaya koymak hedeflenmiştir. Deneysel çalışmalarda kullanılmak üzere çeşitli mineral elektrotları – Galen/Pirit (0,52 cm2), Galen/Sfalerit (0,35 cm2), saf Galen (0,20 cm2), saf Sfalerit (0,80 cm2) ve saf Pirit (0,18 cm2) – hazırlanmıştır. Üç elektrotlu elektrokimyasal hücre düzeneği kurularak, hazırlanan mineral elektrotlarıyla deneysel çalışmalar yapılmıştır. Mineral elektrotların yüzey kimyasındaki değişimler toplayıcılı (1×10-4 M NaEX) ve toplayıcısız ortamda denenerek kıyaslanmıştır. Bağlı tane mineral elektrotundaki ölçümler sırasında ortaya çıkan galvanik etkileşim sebebiyle, minerallerin yüzey alanından bağımsız olarak yük geçişlerinin olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Minerallerin birbirlerini indirgeyip yükseltgemeleri, flotasyon davranımlarının da değişmesine sebep olmuştur. Mevcut çalışmada kullanılan yöntemler, ortamdaki herhangi bir flotasyon reaktifinin sülfürlü mineral yüzeyinde meydana gelebilecek olası tepkimelere neden olan etkisini kolayca ölçebilmektedir. Bu sebeple elektrokimyasal ölçümlerin, kesikli laboratuvar flotasyon testlerine alternatif bir yöntem olabileceği düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

Sülfürlü Mineraller, Yüzey Kimyası, NaEX, Dönüşümlü Voltametri, Elektriksel Empedans Spektroskopisi

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