Control of pyrite surface chemistry in physical coal cleaning

Technical Report · Wed Jun 24 04:00:00 EDT 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5158867· OSTI ID:5158867

Luttrell, G H; Yoon, R H; Ou, Z S

The successful separation of pyrite from coal by flotation is dependent to a large extent upon the selectivity of the process, and the use of a pyrite depressant is one of the most important and cost-effective techniques for achieving this. This report evaluates the effects of three factors on the floatability of pyrite. These are (1) the superficial oxidation of pyrite, (2) the contamination of pyrite surfaces by carbonaceous matter, and (3) pulp redox potentials. XPS (x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) and IR spectrometry have been used to identify surface reaction products. Microflotation, laboratory-scale conventional flotation and microbubble column flotation were used to quantify the effects of these factors. It was found that low (reducing) pulp potentials are effective depressants of pyrite (more so for fresh, unoxidized samples than for oxidized samples), whilst at the same time do not materially affect coal flotation.

• Research Organization: Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States). Dept. of Mining and Minerals Engineering
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG22-89PC89789
• OSTI ID: 5158867
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/89789-T8; ON: DE92015802
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010300* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Preparation-- (1987-)
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
COAL PREPARATION
DESULFURIZATION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY SOURCES
FLOTATION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
INFRARED SPECTROMETERS
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MINERALS
OXIDATION
PROGRESS REPORT
PYRITE
REDOX REACTIONS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTROMETERS
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFIDE MINERALS
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY