Effect of Amine-alcohol Complex Trapping Agent on Desilication of Iron Ores by Reverse Flotation

Objective To overcome the shortcomings of amine collectors and achieve efficient separation of iron and silicon in iron ores, this article develops an amine-alcohol compound collector for the flotation of fine mixed iron ores. Method Comparative flotation tests of quaternary amine (JJA), quaternary amine + isooctanol (CJJA) were carried out with quartz and mixed magneto-hematite pure minerals. Result The single mineral flotation tests showed that CJJA gave good results in iron ore flotation with an optimum amine to alcohol ratio of 3∶1. The results of the actual mineral single-factor experiment are basically consistent with those of the single-mineral flotation experiment. The results of the actual mineral flotation open-circuit experiment show that when CJJA is used as the collector, at the conditions of an optimal pH value of 6 to 7, a collector dosage of 135 g/t, and an inhibitor dosage of 800 g/t, the grade of iron concentrate obtained is 66.58%. The recovery rate of iron concentrate is an excellent indicator of 80.84%. Conclusion The infrared spectral analysis showed that CJJA had a stronger affinity for the surface of quartz, probably due to the formation of co-adsorption and hydrogen bonding between alcohol and amine molecules, which made it easier to separate quartz from iron ores by flotation.