Mechanism of calcium lignosulfonate in apatite and dolomite flotation system

Since the physical and chemical properties of apatite and dolomite can be similar, the separation of these two minerals is difficult. Therefore, when performing this separation using the flotation method, it is necessary to search for selective depressants. An experimental research was performed on the separation behavior of apatite and dolomite using calcium lignosulfonate as a depressant, and the mechanism by which this occurs was analyzed. The results show that calcium lignosulfonate has a depressant effect on both apatite and dolomite, but the depressant effect on dolomite is stronger at the same dosage. Mechanism analysis shows that the adsorptive capacity of calcium lignosulfonate on dolomite is higher than that of apatite, which is due to the strong reaction between calcium lignosulfonate and the Ca sites on dolomite. In addition, there is a hydrogen bond between calcium lignosulfonate and dolomite, which further prevents the adsorption of sodium oleate to dolomite, thus greatly inhibiting the flotation of dolomite.