Polyacrylamides as co-depressant in hematite and quartz microflotation

In the present study, microflotation experiments were performed on pure minerals systems involving hematite and quartz in presence of etherdiamine as collector. The influence polyacrylamides co-depressant was investigated a blend with starch depressant. results obtained demonstrated that all used efficient depression, at different levels following order effectiveness: cationic > non-ionic anionic. depressant power proportional to degree ionicity molecular weight. It is proposed enhanced performance due two functional groups, group adsorbing by electrostatic interaction amide –C(=O)NH2 hydrogen bonding. Non-ionic indicated similar performances for weights adsorption mechanism bonding associated group. Electrostatic repulsion did not have deleterious action anionic polymers hematite, nevertheless impaired. Polyacrylamides adsorb quartz, although weaker intensity than hematite.