Spherical agglomeration of scheelite fines with amphoteric collector

Abstract

Amphoteric collector, Medialan KA, which contains both positive and negative functional groups in the same molecule was studied as a surfactant for spherical agglomeration of scheelite fines from a synthetic binary mixture with quartz containing 0.04% WO3. Two anionic collectors namely, sodium oleate and alkyl sulfo succinate (trade name Porocoll SC 30) were also studied as surfactants for spherical agglomeration of scheelite fines. Agglomerates containing 2.4% WO3 could be obtained with sodium oleate at pH 10.5 and with alkyl sulfo succinate collector at pH 3.5, with more than 90% recovery. Similar results could be obtained at extreme pH regions although both these reagents are anionic in nature. However, with amphoteric collector (Medialan KA) effective agglomeration of scheelite fines was observed both at pH 3.5 and at pH 10.5.