Abstract
The interactions between chalcocite and ethylxanthate have been examined in an electrochemical-microflotation cell containing a particle-bed working electrode. Cyclic voltammetry has shown the formation of a chemisorbed product commencing at −0.5 V versus SCE with a bulk oxidation product, possibly cuprous xanthate, forming above −0.23 V. Relating the charge passed on a potentiostated mineral bed after addition of xanthate to spectrophotometric changes in xanthate concentration suggested the presence of a fast chemical reaction and a charge transfer reaction. The strong correlation between flotation response and potential indicates that chemisorption of ethylxanthate produces a layer sufficiently hydrophobic for chalcocite flotation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
S. G. Salamy and J. C. Nixon, ‘Recent Developments in Mineral Dressing,’ Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London (1953) pp. 503–16.
R. Woods,J. Phys. Chem. 75 (1971) 354.
I. N. Plaksin and R. Sh. Shafeev,Bull. Inst. Min. Metal. 72 (1963) 715.
J. R. Gardner and R. Woods,Aust. J. Chem. 26 (1973) 1635.
S. Chander and D. W. Fuerstenau,Int. J. Miner. Process. 10 (1983) 89.
P. E. Richardson, J. V. Stout III, C. L. Proctor and G. W. Walker, ——ibid.12 (1984) 73.
G. W. Walker, J. V. Stout III and P. E. Richardson, ——ibid.12 (1984) 55.
B. Miller and J. M. Rosamilia,Anal. Chem. 56 (1974) 2410.
A. Kowal and A. Pomianowski,J. Electroanal. Chem. 46 (1973) 411.
T. Biegler and M. D. Horne, ‘Proceedings of the International Symposium on Electrochemistry in Mineral and Metal Processing’, edited by P. E. Richardson, S. Srinivasan and R. Woods, The Electrochemical Society Inc., Pennington, New Jersey (1984) p. 321.
R. Woods,J. Phys. Chem. 75 (1971) 354.
J. E. Gebhardt, N. F. Dewsnap and P. E. Richardson, Bureau of Mines RI 8293, United States Department of the Interior (1985).
Y. A. Attia,Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. 85 (1975) C221.
R. W. Potter II,Econ. Geol. 72 (1977) 1524.
A. Pomianowski and J. Leja,Can. J. Chem. 41 (1963) 2219.
T. Hepel and A. Pomianowski,Int. J. Miner. Process. 4 (1977) 345.
G. W. Heyes and W. J. Trahar, ——ibid.6 (1979) 229.
W. J. Trahar, ‘Principles of Mineral Flotation: The Wark Symposium’ (edited by M. H. Jones and J. T. Woodcock), The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Victoria, Australia (1984), p. 117.
A. M. Gaudin and R. Schuhmann Jr,J. Phys. Chem. 40 (1936) 257.
P. J. Harris and N. P. Finkelstein, Report No. 1896, National Institute for Metallurgy, Randburg, South Africa (1977).
W. Barzyk, K. Malysa and A. Pomianowski,Int. J. Miner. Process. 8 (1981) 17.
Z. Adamczyk, W. Barzyk, J. Czarnecki and A. Pomianowski, ——ibid.7 (1980) 57.
V. I. Klassen and V. A. Mokrousov, ‘An Introduction to the Theory of Flotation’, Butterworth, London (1963) p. 237.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
O'Dell, C.S., Walker, G.W. & Richardson, P.E. Electrochemistry of the chalcocite-xanthate system. J Appl Electrochem 16, 544–554 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01006849
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01006849