Research progress of sulfidation flotation mechanism and influencing factors of smithsonite
The identification of low-grade refractory zinc oxide ore as a substantial zinc reservoir has emerged as a consequence of the advancement and exploitation of zinc resources.Smithsonite,as the most prevalent form of zinc oxide ore,holds considerable significance as a valuable mineral resource for zinc extraction.As a comprehensive analysis of surface sulfidation flotation,a significant flotation technique for smithsonite was presented.The mechanism of sulfidation flotation was thoroughly elucidated,including the chemisorption and chemical reaction that occured during the sulfidation process.Furthermore,the mechanism of the precipitation-dissolution reaction during sulfidation was explained in detail.It was emphasized that the sulfidation process represented a dynamic equilibrium between the precipitation of the sulfide layer and the shedding of the oxide layer.The nucleation process in this study was characterized by heterogeneous nucleation,where the solubility product serves as the primary driving force.It was observed that the rate of sulfidation exhibited temporal variations at different stages of the process.The present study provided a comprehensive analysis of the effects of pH,sulfidation time and sulfidation temperature on the process of precipitation-dissolution sulfidation in flotation.At the same time,it was emphasized that future research on zinc ore sulfidation flotation should prioritize high-efficiency enhanced sulfidation and green sulfidation.The incorporation of chemicals in the sulfidation process can significantly enhance its efficiency,leading to a reduction in the consumption of sodium sulfide.Furthermore,the development of environmentally friendly organic sulfidation agents can help to minimize the reliance on inorganic sulfidation agents like sodium sulfide.This approach aimed to mitigate the pollution and treatment challenges associated with mineral processing wastewater.It was worth noting that sulphide flotation currently played a significant role in the efficient separation of zinc ore both presently and in the foreseeable future.It was pointed out that sulfide flotation was an important method for effective separation of smithsonite at present and in the future.