Physical-chemical study of IPETC and PAX collector's adsorption on covellite surface

• Published in: Applied surface science 2022-11, Vol.602, p.154232, Article 154232
• Main Authors: Botero, Yesica L., Canales-Mahuzier, Andrés, Serna-Guerrero, Rodrigo, López-Valdivieso, Alejandro, Benzaazoua, Mostafa, Cisternas, Luis A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amyl xanthate; Collector adsorption; Covellite; Density functional theory; Thionocarbamate
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.154232

[Display omitted] •Collectors IPETC and PAX have a marked effect on the covellite flotation.•XPS shows that the covellite surface has two oxidation states, Cu(I) and Cu(II).•IPETC adsorption on covellite is realized through S of the collector with Cu atoms.•PAX adsorption on CuS is realized throughS and –S of the collector with Cu atoms. The adsorption mechanisms of the collectors O-isopropyl-N-ethyl thionocarbamate (IPETC) and potassium amyl xanthate (PAX) on a covellite surface were studied through microflotation tests, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The microflotation test demonstrated that the collectors have a marked effect on the covellite flotation and that covellite flotation is not pH-dependent. The FT-IR spectra for covellite treated with IPETC and PAX collectors at pH 8 and 11 does not differ significantly. For IPETC, the leading adsorption –C(=S) –NH group vibration was identified, and the NH stretching band is absent from both spectra. The spectra show the frequencies for the PAX, Cu-amylxanthate (CuAX), and (AX)2 dixantogen that formed. The XPS spectra showed that the adsorption mechanism of PAX on the covellite surface is principally through C 1 s and S 2p. The adsorption mechanism of IPETC on the covellite surface suggests that the bond is enabled through theS element of the collector with Cu atoms in the covellite surface. Finally, the DFT calculations predict that for IPETC the bond with copper only occurred through the CS group. For PAX, the bond with copper occurred through the CS and C–S groups.