The selective depression effect of sodium hexametaphosphate on the separation of chlorite and specularite

Flotation is the most known beneficiation method for separation of complex and refractory iron ores. As a typical iron-containing silicates, it difficult to separate chlorite from specularite, because similar surface physicochemical properties. In this study, selective depression effect sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) was conducted via cationic micro-flotation. The adsorption mechanism between SHMP two mineral explored through amount tests, Zeta-potential measurements, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. micro-flotation results indicated that could selectively depress around 90% chlorite, while its on floatability specularite negligible (<20% depressing). measurements analysis demonstrated adsorb feeble. further FT-IR XPS proved occurred mainly by chemisorption chelation reaction O in phosphate groups molecular metal ions chlorite.