Tungsten Ore Flotation Organic Inhibitor – Malic Acid

In tungsten ore flotation, organic inhibitor can be divided into macromolecule organic inhibitor and micromolecle organic inhibitor. In recent years, organic inhibitor has diverse structure, has good selectivity for mineral, and is environmental friendly. Organic inhibitor has special function for gangue, so it is used to take place of sodium silicate.

Chemical formula of malic acid is C4H6O5, widely exists in apple and grape, appearance is white crystalline or powder, has wet absorbing property, soluble in water and alcohol, has special and pleasing acid smell.

Malic acid is mainly used in food and medicine industry. It has similar function of citric acid in tungsten ore flotation inhibiting. It has three hydrophilic group, can be used to inhibit calcite. When pH <10, surface of calcite carries positive electricity, malic acid can chelate with Ca2+ in lattice, absorb on the surface of mineral by electrostatic force for inhibiting.

Inhibiting function of organic inhibitor not only depends on chelating capability but also water affinity of polar group. In malic acid structure, there are three OH hydrophilic group, can be used to inhibit aluminum silica tungstate mineral theoretically, but it is seldom used in tungsten ore flotation. The reason is that it costs too much and can be replaced by other agents. So malic acid is mainly used in food and medicine industry.

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