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Journals / Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Fen ve Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 26 Sayı: 5

Influence of Dissolved Ion Concentration on the Wettability and Flotation Behavior of Galena

Çözünmüş İyon Konsantrasyonunun Galenin Islanabilirliği ve Flotasyon Davranışı Üzerindeki Etkisi

Saleban Mohamed Muse(ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY-CERRAHPASA)0000-0002-1453-1932
Can Güngören(İSTANBUL ÜNİVERSİTESİ-CERRAHPAŞA, MÜHENDİSLİK FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0002-6664-1551
Mert Terzi(ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY-CERRAHPASA)0000-0002-6727-4191
Mehmet Eskibalcı(ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY-CERRAHPASA)0000-0001-9163-7899
İlgin Kurşun Ünver(ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY-CERRAHPASA)0000-0001-7348-6054
Orhan Özdemir(ISTANBUL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY)0000-0002-4408-546X
Pages
1194–1201
Publication Date
2026-10-06
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

These results demonstrate that a moderate concentration of dissolved ions can enhance galena wettability and flotation behavior, whereas increasing the overall ionic concentration beyond this level does not provide an additional flotation benefit.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Dissolved species in process water can influence mineral flotation behavior by affecting mineral wettability and bubble-particle interactions.
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Key Findings & Data:Artificial waters containing Na+ Ca2+, Mg2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Cl-, NO3-, CO32-, and SO42- were prepared at four concentration levels (APW1, APW3, APW5, and APW10), with the ion concentrations in APW1 increased three-, five-, and ten-fold to obtain the higher-concentration waters.
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Conclusion & Impact:These results demonstrate that a moderate concentration of dissolved ions can enhance galena wettability and flotation behavior, whereas increasing the overall ionic concentration beyond this level does not provide an additional flotation benefit.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Temas açısı · çözünmüş iyonlar · flotasyon

Abstract

Dissolved species in process water can influence mineral flotation behavior by affecting mineral wettability and bubble-particle interactions. This study investigated the collective effect of dissolved ions in artificial process waters on the hydrophobicity and flotation response of galena from a complex sulphide ore. Artificial waters containing Na+ Ca2+, Mg2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Cl-, NO3-, CO32-, and SO42- were prepared at four concentration levels (APW1, APW3, APW5, and APW10), with the ion concentrations in APW1 increased three-, five-, and ten-fold to obtain the higher-concentration waters. Ore characterization, pH profile tests, dynamic contact-angle measurements, and batch flotation experiments were performed to evaluate the flotation behavior of galena to increasing ionic concentration. The galena ore exhibited a buffer pH of approximately 8. The initial contact angle increased from 39° in pure water to 54° in APW1 and reached 60° with 50 g/t potassium ethyl xanthate (KEX). However, further increases in ionic concentration progressively reduced galena hydrophobicity, both in the absence and presence of KEX. In flotation experiments, the galena recovery increased slightly from 79.1% in pure water to 82.0% in APW1, whereas further increases in APW concentration produced no substantial improvement in recovery or concentrate Pb grade. These results demonstrate that a moderate concentration of dissolved ions can enhance galena wettability and flotation behavior, whereas increasing the overall ionic concentration beyond this level does not provide an additional flotation benefit. The findings highlight the importance of controlling the overall ionic environment of flotation water when recycled or ion-rich waters are used in complex sulphide ore processing.

Özet

Minerallerin flotasyon davranışı, flotasyon suyunda bulunan çözünmüş iyonların mineral ıslanabilirliği ve kabarcık-tane etkileşimleri üzerindeki etkileri nedeniyle değişebilmektedir. Bu çalışmada, yapay flotasyon sularında bulunan çözünmüş iyonların karmaşık bir sülfürlü cevherdeki galenin hidrofobluğu ve flotasyon davranışı üzerindeki birleşik etkisi araştırılmıştır. Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Cl-, NO3-, CO32- ve SO42- iyonlarını içeren yapay sular dört farklı konsantrasyon seviyesinde (APW1, APW3, APW5 ve APW10) hazırlanmıştır; daha yüksek konsantrasyonlu suların elde edilmesi için APW1’deki iyon konsantrasyonları sırasıyla üç, beş ve on kat artırılmıştır. Artan iyon konsantrasyonunun galenin davranışı üzerindeki etkisini değerlendirmek amacıyla cevher karakterizasyonu, pH profili deneyleri, dinamik temas açısı ölçümleri ve kesikli flotasyon deneyleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Galen cevherinin yaklaşık 8 tampon pH değerine sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir. Saf suda 39° olan başlangıç temas açısı APW1 varlığında 54°’ye yükselmiş ve 50 g/t potasyum etil ksantat (KEX) varlığında 60°’ye ulaşmıştır. Bununla birlikte, iyon konsantrasyonunun daha fazla artırılması hem KEX yokluğunda hem de varlığında galenin hidrofobluğunu kademeli olarak azaltmıştır. Flotasyon deneylerinde galen kazanma verimi saf suda %79,1 iken APW1 varlığında hafif bir artışla %82,0’ye yükselmiş, ancak APW konsantrasyonunun daha fazla artırılması kazanma veriminde veya konsantre Pb tenöründe belirgin bir iyileşme sağlamamıştır. Bu sonuçlar, çözünmüş iyonların orta düzeydeki konsantrasyonlarının galenin ıslanabilirliğini ve flotasyon davranışını iyileştirebildiğini, ancak toplam iyon konsantrasyonunun belirli bir seviyenin üzerine çıkarılmasının flotasyon açısından ilave bir fayda sağlamadığını göstermektedir. Bulgular, karmaşık sülfürlü cevherlerin zenginleştirilmesinde geri dönüştürülmüş veya iyon bakımından zengin sular kullanıldığında, flotasyon suyunun genel iyonik ortamının kontrol edilmesinin önemini ortaya koymaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Muse, S. M., Güngören, C., Terzi, M., Eskibalcı, M., Ünver, İ. K., Özdemir, O. (2026). Influence of Dissolved Ion Concentration on the Wettability and Flotation Behavior of Galena. Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Fen ve Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, Cilt: 26 Sayı: 5, 1194–1201. https://doi.org/10.35414/akufemubid.1968941

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