Synthesis Of Sodium Diisobutyl Dithiophosphinate And Its Flotation Performance For Sulfide Ores

Abstract:Sodium diisobutyl dithiophosphinate (DTPINa) is an efficient collector for sulfide ores. It is mainly recommended to float copper, lead sulphide ores and rare and noble metal sulphide ores. In this paper, DTPINa was prepared, its flotation performance was researched by single minerals and natural ores flotation experiments and the interaction mechanism of DTPINa and sulphide ores was researched as well.DTPINa was prepared by Grignard reagent method, isobutyl chloride, magnesium powder, thiophosphoryl chloride, sulfur and sodium-sulfide were used as raw materials. The optimal conditions were as follow:the molar ratio of isobutyl chloride and magnesium powder was1:1and the isobutyl chloride diluted with dry ether of four times by volume at25℃to prepare Grignard reagent. The molar ratio of thiophosphoryl chloride to isobutyl chloride was1:7to get the intermediate product bi (diisobutylphosphinothioyl). DTPINa was prepared with the reaction of this intermediate with equimolar sodium-sulfide and sulfur at110℃. The yield of DTPINa reached80.20%.DTPINa was used as collector in the floation of chalcopyrite, pyrite, galena and sphalerite single mineral. The results showed that sodium diisobutyl dithiophosphinate had a very strong flotation ability and selectivity to copper and lead sulphide ores. For chalcopyrite and pyrite, the flotation performance of DTPINa is the most perfect compared with butyl xanthate and ethylthionocarbamate (Z-200), the recovery of chalcopyrite could reach96.2%when the dosage was12mg/L and pH value was8. In the same situation the recovery of pyrite as low as13.5%, so the copper-sulphur separation could be realized in this situation. For galena and sphalerite, the flotation performance of DTPINa was the most perfect compared with ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, the recovery of galena could reach91.7%when the dosage was50mg/L and pH value was11while the sphalerite recovery was16.9%. The conducted natural ores experiments also confirmed the excellent performance of DTPINa.The interaction mechanism of DTPINa with sulphide ores was investigated by adsorption capacity measurement, ultraviolet spectrum analysis and infrared spectrum analysis. The results showed that DTPINa absorbed onto chalcopyrite, pyrite, galena and sphalerite surfaces by the form of chemical absorption mechanism, and DTPINa could selectively collecting chalcopyrite and galena.