Inorganic salt regulators eliminate the adverse effects of interfering ions on the efficient flotation enrichment of phosphate ores

This study investigates the role of Na 2 SO 4 as an inorganic regulator in enhancing the flotation separation efficiency of apatite from dolomite by mitigating the adverse effects of interfering ions. Micro-flotation tests revealed that adding 3 × 10 −4 mol/L Na 2 SO 4 significantly increased the recovery of dolomite from 77.52 % to 91.26 %, while reducing the recovery of apatite by 16.31 %. The MgO content in the mixed concentrate rose from 9.69 % to 15.05 %, with its removal rate increasing from 54.76 % to 82.53 %. Importantly, the loss rate of apatite in the mixed concentrate was reduced by 33.37 %. Characterization techniques and solution properties analysis elucidated the mechanism: Na 2 SO 4 prevents the formation of precipitates between interfering ions and sodium oleate (NaOL), reducing NaOL adsorption on apatite surfaces while enhancing and evenly distributing NaOL adsorption on dolomite surfaces. molecular dynamics simulations further showed that Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ promote NaOL agglomeration, whereas Na 2 SO 4 disperses NaOL uniformly in solution. This study provides an innovative for enhancing the anti-interference ion ability of flotation reagents.