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Minerals
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Industrial Minerals Flotation—Fundamentals and Applications
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Industrial Minerals Flotation—Fundamentals and Applications

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2025 | Viewed by 10440

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Xuming Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Mines and Earth Sciences, University of Utah, 122 S. Central Campus Drive, #304 Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Interests: metallurgical engineering; industry mineral processing; flotation chemistry; hydrometallurgy; wastewater treatment; surface/interface chemistry; battery recycling
Prof. Dr. Jan D. Miller

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Mines and Earth Sciences, University of Utah, 122 S. Central Campus Drive, #304 Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0114, USA
Interests: X-ray CT 3D characterization; surface chemistry; coal preparation; hydrometallurgy; nanoparticle in battery

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Industrial minerals are generally considered to be nonmetallic mineral resources. Most industrial minerals, including limestone, clays, sand, gravel, diatomite, kaolin, bentonite, silica, barite, talc, and gypsum, are used in the construction industry and/or as additives, such as kaolinite in the production of paper. The industrial minerals are valued for their physical and chemical properties that make them useful for many industrial applications. In agriculture, industrial minerals such as potash and phosphate are essential fertilizer ingredients. Bauxite is the primary source of aluminum ore and is also used to make ceramics, cement, and abrasives. In the new energy sector, the industrial minerals also play an important supporting role. Graphite and manganese serve as electrodes in many lithium batteries. Spodumene and various types of lithium clays are important sources of lithium for lithium-ion batteries. Rare-earth resources are one of the most critical resources for many industries including renewable energy and defense industries. As with many metallic mineral resources, concentration processes are needed to purify and enrich industrial minerals before further preparation and utilization. Flotation is a crucial process for the separation and concentration of minerals from ores. The special features of the flotation chemistry of industrial minerals distinguish them from the flotation chemistry of sulfide minerals. This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest advances and applications of flotation technology in the recovery of industrial minerals and is seeking original research articles, reviews, and case studies including, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • Industrial minerals applications;
  • Fundamental features of the flotation chemistry;
  • Phosphate flotation;
  • Soluble salt flotation;
  • Phyllosilicate mineral surface chemistry;
  • Bauxite flotation;
  • Spodumene flotation;
  • Rare earth flotation;
  • Graphite recovery from retired batteries.

Prof. Dr. Xuming Wang
Prof. Dr. Jan D. Miller
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • industrial minerals
  • phosphate flotation
  • bauxite flotation
  • soluble salt flotation
  • clay mineral surface chemistry
  • spodumene flotation
  • rare earth flotation
  • graphite recovery

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 19252 KiB  
Article
The Adsorption Characteristics of Calcium Ions on Spodumene with Different Colors and Their Associated Activation Mechanism
by Guangli Zhu, Ruping Wang, Yan Zheng, Xu Zhang, Yuzhe Zhang, Chao Li, Guosheng Li and Yijun Cao
Minerals 2025, 15(1), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15010048 - 2 Jan 2025
Viewed by 615
Abstract
This study investigates the activation behavior and mechanism of calcium ions on the flotation of spodumene with different colors. Using NaOL as a collector, in descending order of flotation recoveries were purple, pink, and white spodumene, while in the presence of CaCl2 [...] Read more.
This study investigates the activation behavior and mechanism of calcium ions on the flotation of spodumene with different colors. Using NaOL as a collector, in descending order of flotation recoveries were purple, pink, and white spodumene, while in the presence of CaCl2, the flotation recoveries were increased and the order was pink, white, and purple spodumene. The zeta potential, adsorption amount, contact angle, and AFM measurements demonstrated that calcium ions adsorbed on the spodumene surface and promoted NaOL adsorption in alkaline conditions. Species distribution analysis showed that Ca2+, Ca(OH)+, and Ca(OH)2 were essential components that play an activation role at pH = 12. The adsorption capacity and XPS results illustrated that CaCl2 activated spodumene flotation in two ways. One possibility involves calcium ions and their hydroxyl compounds being adsorbed on the spodumene surface, where Ca and Al sites favored OL− adsorption. The other possible way involves calcium ions and their hydroxyl compounds forming complexes with NaOL firstly in solution and then co-adsorbing on the spodumene surface. Quantum chemical calculations showed that the adsorption affinity on the spodumene surface in descending order was Ca2+, Ca(OH)2, and Ca(OH)+, and the pink spodumene was most preferably adsorbed, followed by the white spodumene, also consistent the flotation results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Minerals Flotation—Fundamentals and Applications)
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10 pages, 1784 KiB  
Article
Recovery of Copper from Slags Through Flotation at the Hernán Videla Lira Smelter
by Luis Valderrama, Jaime Tapia, Osvaldo Pavez, Mario Santander, Víctor Rivera and Miguel Gonzalez
Minerals 2024, 14(12), 1228; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14121228 - 2 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1207
Abstract
The significant volume of copper smelting slags poses environmental challenges, particularly concerning soil and surface water contamination. However, these slags contain valuable elements such as copper and iron, the recovery of which can contribute to both environmental protection and the circular economy in [...] Read more.
The significant volume of copper smelting slags poses environmental challenges, particularly concerning soil and surface water contamination. However, these slags contain valuable elements such as copper and iron, the recovery of which can contribute to both environmental protection and the circular economy in Chile. This study analyzes, at both laboratory and industrial scales, the recovery of copper sulfides from the slags of the Hernán Videla Lira Smelter in Atacama, Chile. Physical, chemical, and mineralogical characterizations were performed, along with flotation tests (rougher and cleaner) to optimize the grinding degree, pH, reagents, and flotation times. The slag, with a copper grade of 0.71%, contains fayalite, magnetite, quartz, pyrite, and chalcopyrite. In the laboratory, the concentrate obtained in the rougher stage showed a copper grade of 3.7% with a recovery rate of 62.1%; in the cleaner stage, the grade increased to 24.4%, with a recovery rate of 71.7%. At the industrial level, the rougher–cleaner circuit produced concentrates with a copper grade of 27.9% and a recovery rate of 87.5% processing 1344 tons per day, thus demonstrating the viability of this methodology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Minerals Flotation—Fundamentals and Applications)
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11 pages, 3124 KiB  
Article
Recovery of Xenotime and Florencite from Silicate Minerals Using a Combined Technique of Magnetic Separation and Flotation
by Weiwei Wang, Erdou Li, Zhengyao Li, Weiyao Zhu and Yuanyuan Wang
Minerals 2024, 14(11), 1073; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14111073 - 25 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1111
Abstract
Xenotime (YPO4), a significant phosphatic minerl rich in heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), typically associates with granitic rocks, exemplified in the Wolverine rare earth deposit in Australia. A mineral composition analysis indicates that the primary valuable minerals in the deposit are principally xenotime [...] Read more.
Xenotime (YPO4), a significant phosphatic minerl rich in heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), typically associates with granitic rocks, exemplified in the Wolverine rare earth deposit in Australia. A mineral composition analysis indicates that the primary valuable minerals in the deposit are principally xenotime and minor florencite, with quartz and illite as the main gangue minerals, showing a relatively simple mineral composition. The grade of rare earth concentrate was increased to 14.29% and the recovery reached 94.48% through the magnetic separation pre-enrichment test. However, a high-grade rare earth concentrate could not be achieved using magnetic separation alone. Further purification of the magnetic concentrate is conducted through flotation. The grade of rare earth concentrate reached 51.26%, and the recovery rate reached 90.47%. In summary, this process achieves the efficient recovery of xenotime and florencite, having substantial industrial potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Minerals Flotation—Fundamentals and Applications)
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13 pages, 5557 KiB  
Article
Interaction and Inhibition Mechanism of Sulfuric Acid with Fluorapatite (001) Surface and Dolomite (104) Surface: Flotation Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations
by Aoao Chen, Xuming Wang and Qin Zhang
Minerals 2023, 13(12), 1517; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13121517 - 4 Dec 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1781
Abstract
The natural wettability of apatite and dolomite and the effect of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and sodium oleate (NaOl) on the floatability and wettability of both minerals were studied using single-mineral flotation and contact angle measurement. The flotation experiments demonstrated [...] Read more.
The natural wettability of apatite and dolomite and the effect of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and sodium oleate (NaOl) on the floatability and wettability of both minerals were studied using single-mineral flotation and contact angle measurement. The flotation experiments demonstrated that adding NaOl, apatite, and dolomite had good floatability. After adding H2SO4, the floatability of apatite decreased significantly. H2SO4 effectively inhibits apatite flotation. Contact angle measurements show that the use of H2SO4 induces a significant difference in surface wettability between apatite and dolomite. The moderate addition of H2SO4 can increase the contact angle of dolomite. In order to study the selective inhibition mechanism of H2SO4 in phosphorite flotation, molecular dynamics simulations (MDSs) were conducted to investigate the interaction between H2SO4 and fluorapatite and dolomite at the atomic–molecular level. The results of MDSs reveal that H2SO4 interacts with Ca sites on both fluorapatite and defective dolomite surfaces, hindering the interaction of NaOl with Ca sites on both mineral surfaces. SO42− ions cannot prevent the interaction of oleate ions with Mg sites on dolomite surface. It is worth mentioning that SO42− ions occupy the defective vacancies formed due to the dissolution of CO32− on the surface of dolomite and interact with Ca sites. The remaining H2SO4 is subsequently adsorbed onto the surface of dolomite. Experimental and simulation results show that, due to the interaction of H2SO4 and NaOl, the surface of apatite can still undergo hydration forming a water molecule layer and maintaining a macroscopic hydrophilic property. In contrast, the oleate ions form an adsorption layer on dolomite transitioning it from a hydrophilic to a hydrophobic state. During the phosphate flotation process, the addition of an appropriate amount of sulfuric acid can further diminish the hydration of the dolomite surface, so that the surface of dolomite is more hydrophobic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Minerals Flotation—Fundamentals and Applications)
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19 pages, 5623 KiB  
Article
Synergistic Effect of Frequently Found Ions in the Flotation of Pb-Zn Sulfide Ores on Air/Water Interface
by Can Gungoren, Saleban Mohamed Muse, Mert Terzi, Mehmet Faruk Eskibalci, Ilgin Kursun Unver and Orhan Ozdemir
Minerals 2023, 13(10), 1236; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13101236 - 22 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1223
Abstract
The aqueous ions influence the properties of air bubbles and, therefore, the recovery of flotation. This study aims to reveal the synergistic effect of frequently found ions in the flotation of Pb-Zn sulfide ores. In this context, dynamic surface tension measurements, bubble coalescence [...] Read more.
The aqueous ions influence the properties of air bubbles and, therefore, the recovery of flotation. This study aims to reveal the synergistic effect of frequently found ions in the flotation of Pb-Zn sulfide ores. In this context, dynamic surface tension measurements, bubble coalescence time, Sauter mean diameter (SMD), bubble size distribution (BSD), and dynamic foam stability (DFS) measurements were carried out using artificial process waters (APWs). APW with the minimum ion concentration is expressed as “APW1” with the ionic strength (I) of 0.03 mol/dm3. The concentration of the ions in APW1 was increased by 3, 5, and 10 times, and thus APW3 (I = 0.08 mol/dm3), APW5 (I = 0.13 mol/dm3), and APW10 (I = 0.26 mol/dm3) were prepared, respectively. The results of this study indicated that the surface tension increased slightly in the presence of APW related to the ion concentration. Potassium ethyl xanthate (KEX) at high concentrations was effective in the reduction of surface tension. As the APW concentration increased, finer bubbles were obtained with a narrower size range. The stability of the foam increased with butyl glycol (BG) and APW concentration. There was no need to use a frother (BG) for the flotation experiments in the presence of APW1 or APWs with higher ionic strength. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Minerals Flotation—Fundamentals and Applications)
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Review

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21 pages, 1691 KiB  
Review
Ultrasonic Enhancement for Mineral Flotation: Technology, Device, and Engineering Applications
by Xiaoou Zhang, Huaigang Cheng, Kai Xu, Danjing Ding, Xin Wang, Bo Wang and Zhuohui Ma
Minerals 2024, 14(10), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14100986 - 30 Sep 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1656
Abstract
In the past five years, the number of articles related to ultrasonic mineral flotation has increased by about 50 per year, and the overall trend is on the rise. The most recent developments in ultrasonics for flotation process intensification are reviewed herein, including [...] Read more.
In the past five years, the number of articles related to ultrasonic mineral flotation has increased by about 50 per year, and the overall trend is on the rise. The most recent developments in ultrasonics for flotation process intensification are reviewed herein, including effects of ultrasound treatment on an aqueous slurry, improvement in flotation methods and technological processes, device development tracking, and application effects in mineral process engineering. At this point in time, there are pilot-scale flotation tests to evaluate the feasibility of ultrasonic pretreatment technology for industrial use to enhance residue flotation separation, and the results showed that the recovery rate of concentrate is increased by about 10%. Four aspects of ultrasonic flotation process improvement are summarized, namely, changing the ultrasonic parameters, the synergistic effect of ultrasound and reagents, the ultrasonic effect of particles with different-sized fractions, and application to new systems. In addition, the effect of ultrasonic flotation mechanisms is explored through a quadratic model and numerical simulation. The combination of ultrasonic flotation with other fields, such as magnetic fields, to enhance the separation efficiency and recovery of minerals is also a future trend. It is also proposed that ultrasonic flotation technology will be used with big data, industrial Internet of Things, and automatic control technology to achieve deep bundling, optimizing the flotation process by implementing remote monitoring and control of the flotation process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Minerals Flotation—Fundamentals and Applications)
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17 pages, 3054 KiB  
Review
Advances and Prospects on Flotation Enhancement of Difficult-to-Float Coal by Emulsion: A Review
by Xin Wang, Huaigang Cheng and Danjing Ding
Minerals 2024, 14(9), 952; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14090952 - 20 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1547
Abstract
Coal is expected to continue dominating the global energy landscape for a considerable period in the future. However, the depletion of high-quality coal resources and the increasing proportion of difficult-to-float coals are exacerbating environmental issues and leading to significant waste of carbon resources, [...] Read more.
Coal is expected to continue dominating the global energy landscape for a considerable period in the future. However, the depletion of high-quality coal resources and the increasing proportion of difficult-to-float coals are exacerbating environmental issues and leading to significant waste of carbon resources, making the clean and efficient utilization of such coals imperative. Enhancing the quality of coal through flotation is a prerequisite for the resource utilization of coal. Difficult-to-float coal, characterized by high hydrophilicity, complex pore structures, and fine particle size, poses challenges for efficient flotation using conventional collectors. Emulsions, owing to their exceptional surface and interfacial regulation capabilities and environmental adaptability, have been employed as flotation collectors for various minerals and have garnered significant attention in recent years for their application in the flotation of difficult-to-float coals. In the pursuit of green and cost-effective flotation technologies for such coals, this paper systematically reviews the causes of poor floatability in difficult-to-float coals and their latest research progress by emulsion flotation. It summarizes the impact of emulsion types and preparation methods on their properties and application areas, with a particular focus on the key mechanisms by which emulsion collectors enhance the flotation of difficult-to-float coals, including surface charge regulation, surface hydrophobicity modification, and interfacial tension control. Finally, this paper outlines future research directions on emulsion flotation, which will likely focus on the precise control of emulsion structure and size, the targeted separation of organic components by emulsion collectors under complex conditions, the development of low-cost and highly biocompatible synthetic reagents, and the development of efficient emulsion storage and transportation equipment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Minerals Flotation—Fundamentals and Applications)
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