Tungsten Ore Flotation Organic Inhibitor – Tartaric Acid

Among tungsten ore flotation inhibitor, sodium silicate is the most widely used one. But when encounters some complex accompanying tungsten mine deposition, sodium silicate may become useless. Although organic inhibitor can not deal with every case like sodium silicate, it has diverse structure and has good selectivity for mineral.

In tungsten ore flotation, tartaric acid can also be used as inhibitor. Research shows that tartaric acid can be used to inhibit calcite and fluorite in tungsten scheelite, they are all calcium carbonate mineral in tungsten scheelite. During flotation, they become a big issue for tungsten shceelite flotation. Tartaric acid can inhibit calcite and fluorite effectively, it can avoid chemical reaction with other flotation agent. So when sodium silicate can not help, tartaric acid is a good choice.

Chemical formula of tartaric acid is C₄H₆O₆, it is a kind of carboxylic acid, exists in many plants like grape and tamarind, which is the main organic acid in wine. It is used as antioxidant synergist, retarder, tanning agent, chelating agent, pharmaceutical agent and so on. Principle of tartaric acid inhibiting calcite and fluorite is the same as citric acid, the group chelates with surface crystal lattice ion of gangue and forms Ca²⁺ chelating. Tartaric acid has four groups of polar hydrophilic, which is two –COOH and two –OH. Research shows that using oleic acid as collecting agent, when pH <10, surface of calcite carries positive electricity, tartaric acid and Ca²⁺ in lattice can chelates. It will absorb on the surface of mineral by electrostatic force and inhibit. When pH >10, surface of calcite carries negative electricity, tartaric acid will chelates with Ca²⁺ in solution, reduce precipitation function of Ca²⁺ with oleic acid to improve flotation environment. When using amount of tartaric acid increases, the inhibiting force is stronger.

Inhibiting function of organic inhibitor not only depends on chelating ability, but also polar group hydrophilic capability. In tartaric acid structure, there are two hydrophilic group like –COOH and OH, that’s why its inhibiting capability is a bit weaker than citric acid. Just like citric acid, tartaric acid is also used in food industry, non-toxic and easily accessible. It is a good supplement for sodium silicate.

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