Use of Pb2+ as a Selective Activator in Selective Flotation Separation of Specularite, Aegirine, and Chlorite: A DFT Study

Despite being one of the main sources iron, specularite is often associated with gangue minerals such as aegirine and chlorite. Flotation separation challenging in mineral processing industry because similar surface properties specularite, aegirine, This study investigates role selective activation mechanism Pb2+ flotation chlorite using micro-flotation experiments, solution chemistry calculations, zeta potential analysis, density functional theory (DFT). The results experiments show that addition lead ions can significantly improve floatability but has little impact on Additionally, calculations PbOH+ component selectively activated specularite. analysis shows more inclined to adsorption collectors are adsorbed after Pb2+. Finally, DFT different chemical bonds formed during interaction between CuOH+ surface, resulting energies.