SELECTIVE SHEAR FLOCCULATION OF CELESTITE WITH AERO 845

8th International Scientific Conference - SGEM2008, www.sgem.org, SGEM2008 Conference Proceedings/ ISBN: 954-918181-2, June 16-20, 2008, Vol. 1, 211-216 pp

ABSTRACT

In this study, selective shear flocculation of celestite with Aero 845 as anionic surfactant
from the mixtures of celestite and calcite was investigated using sodium silicate, sodium
phosphate and sodium polyphosphate as inorganic dispersants. The effects of pH and
dispersant concentration on the selective flocculation of celestite mineral were studied.
Experiments carried out with sodium silicate at optimum conditions yielded a
concentrate, which is flocculated material, assaying 82.5% SrSO4 with a recovery 79%
and separation index of 0.62 from a mixture containing 50% SrSO4.

Keywords: Celestite, Calcite, Selective flocculation, Aero 845, Dispersant.