NEW FORMULATIONS FOR REVERSE FLOTATION OF PHOSPHATE FROM SEDIMENTARY
ORES
ABSTRACT
Removal of silicates and carbonates from sedimentary phosphate ores by the use of new synthetic
collector/formulations was investigated in a comparative study with traditionally used collector systems as
references.
In the direct carbonate flotation the new formulations showed higher efficiency, contributed to an improved
balance of P2O5 recovery and P2O5 enrichment in the recovered material. Efficiency of the new formulations
containing synthetic surfactants was 1.5 - 2 times better than potassium salt of fatty acid sulfonate based
formulations that are traditionally used for that purposes. The new formulations also provided up to 7% increase
in P2O5 recovery at the same P 2O5 grade.
The new synthetic collectors for removal of silicates showed extremely good selectivity towards silica bearing
minerals. The selectivity factor for the flotation tests when new formulations were used was 32-52 and for the
flotation tests with the traditional collectors – 20-32. The ratio between distribution of an amount of silicates (as
SiO2) and distribution of phosphate in the froth (waste) is defined as the selectivity factor. The new formulations
provided more than 2 % decrease of the amount of SiO2 at the same P2O5 recovery.
KEYWORDS
Collectors, formulations, apatite, phosphate, sedimentary ores, reverse froth flotation