Mitigating the negative impact of feldspar slime on lepidolite flotation by a novel anti-slime collector

Lepidolite deposits contain abundant fine-grained minerals formed during mineralization, weathering, and milling processes, making the flotation process susceptible to the influence of gangue slime, particularly feldspar. In this study, the effects of the novel Anti-Slime Collector DDA (Dodecylamine)/HQ330 and the mixed collector DDA/NaOl (sodium oleate) on lepidolite flotation in the presence of feldspar slime were compared. The results demonstrated that DDA/HQ330 effectively alleviated the negative impact of feldspar slime on lepidolite flotation. The mechanism was investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy, three-phase contact line tests, Atomic Force Microscopy tests, adsorption amount tests, zeta potential tests, and surface tension tests. The results suggested that feldspar slime influenced lepidolite flotation by consuming reagents. There was a higher amount of adsorption on the lepidolite surface when using DDA/HQ330 compared to DDA/NaOL. DDA/HQ330 readily adsorbed on the feldspar slime surface and had minimal impact on the zeta potential of the feldspar. Additionally, DDA/HQ330 displayed lower surface tension, leading to the formation of more stable bubbles, which could potentially enhance flotation performance.