A kinetic study of precipitate flotation of Zinc(II), Cobalt(II) and Copper(II) hydroxides

An experimental kinetic study has been completed on precipitate flotation of Zn(II), Co(II) and Cu(II) hydroxides (initial metal concentration 1 × 10−-2M) with the anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl benzenesulphonate (1 × 10−-4M), at varying equilibrium pH. An original radioactive isotope procedure was applied and proved to be sufficiently accurate. Kinetic equations of Rubin and co-workers were found to be relevant for precipitate flotation of hydroxides. From the flotation rate constant (kp) determined at varying equilibrium pH of floated suspensions it appeared that the selective flotation of individual compounds from mixed precipitate was possible as a result of the ‘kinetic effect’.