A Review on the Application of Quaternary Ammonium-Based Ionic Liquids in Mineral Flotation

Abstract

Ionic liquids (ILs) are finding applications in various domains of physical sciences these days. They are used in organometallic syntheses, catalysis, electrochemistry, fuel, solar cells, lubricants, enzyme, separation technologies, nanomaterials, tissue preservation etc. However, the application of ILs in the area of mineral processing is minimal. Considering the potential use of ILs in metal extraction and many chemical reactions, these compounds may play an essential role in the selective recovery of mineral values from the ores having multiple mineral phases. In this paper, the application of some selected ILs in the mineral flotation studies has been reviewed. The interaction of ILs with the desired mineral phases has been described vide the evidence from zeta potential, X-Ray Diffraction, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectra as well as molecular modeling studies. The results of the studies carried out on low-grade iron ores have indicated that ILs under investigation can be compared with the conventional iron ore collectors such as dodecylamine.