The thermodynamic analysis of the reactivity of metal ions’ complexes with flotation reagents

Abstract

: The interrelation between the kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics of metal ions’
complexes with potassium butylxanthate and sodium dibutyldithiophosphate, and physical-chemical
parameters of minerals were considered. The correlation dependences for the activation energy of the
decomposition of dibutyldithiophosphate complexes of metals and an average atomic Gibbs energy of
formation of sulfide minerals were determined. The Evans-Polanyi-Semenov principle for complexes
of metal ions with S- and P-containing ligands was confirmed. The X-ray results analysis showed
that the concentrate contained chalcopyrite, pyrite, chalcocite and galena minerals. Further the
thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of formation of complexes on the sulfide minerals’ surface
were calculated according to the proposed dependencies using the averaged atomic Gibbs energy.
The interaction process of sodium dibutyldithiophosphate with sulfide minerals of Py-Cu-Zn ore was
described as diffusional interaction observed for the majority of minerals, and the kinetic interaction
observed only for chalcocite, which corresponds to the formation of durable surface compounds.
It was established that heat of complex formation processes correlates with the energy density of
minerals in particular. In this regard, both kinetic and thermodynamic components of solution
and solid substance (mineral) should be taken into account to develop flotation reagent regime for
polymetallic ores.