Effect of carboxymethyl cellulose and ionic strength on stability of mineral suspensions in potash ore flotation systems. Part 1. Illite suspensions

摘要

A study has been done of the adsorption onto illite of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose from aqueous solutions varying in ionic strength from that of distilled water to 50% NaCl/KCl brine. The purpose of this work was to investigate the phenomena underlying the potash flotation process that is carried out in a saturated brine. The adsorption results were analyzed in terms of a simple model of polymer molecules in solution which is based on intrinsic viscosity measurements. The illite suspension stability measurements carried out concomitantly to the adsorption tests showed the ranges of CMC concentration over which the illite suspension is re-stabilized by the present CMC. The depletion stabilization seems to explain best the results obtained in highly concentrated electrolytes and high CMC concentrations.