The surface chemistry and flotation of scheelite,II. Flotation “collectors”

The mechanism of flotation of calcium tungstate with non-complexing ionic surfactants has been examined. With fatty-acids, precipitation of the calcium soap sets in at very low concentrations. None of the conventional reagents alone provides sufficient selectivity to permit separation of scheelite from calcite.As an example of a possible chelating collector for tungstate minerals, 4-tertiary butyl catechol (4 TBC) was examined. Although such reagents are, indeed, adsorbed and induce floatability, they are useless as collectors, for several reasons. For example, 4TBC was found (unexpectedly) to be more strongly adsorbed by calcite than by scheelite; furthermore, soluble tungsten complexes were also formed.