Adsorption of ferric ions on the surface of bastnaesite and its significance in flotation

Abstract In the system of 3-hydroxy-2-naphthyl hydroxamic acid (H205) collector, the adsorption of ferric ions on the surface of bastnaesite and its significance in flotation was investigated by micro-flotation tests, zeta potential measurements, adsorption experiments, solution chemistry analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. From the results of our experiments, it can be known that ferric ions species (Fe(OH)3(s)) can absorb on the surface of bastnaesite by interacting with RE(OH)x3−x (x = 1, 2) (RE = Ce, La and Nd) to form RE-O-Fe-OH. And in this process, Fe(OH)3(s) is bound to RE(OH)x3−x (x = 1, 2) mainly by bidentate adsorption. By bidentate adsorption with RE(OH)x3−x (x = 1, 2), the addition of ferric ions decreases adsorption sites for H205, impedes the adsorption of H205 on the surface of bastnaesite, and then depresses bastnaesite flotation.