Efficient activation of smithsonite by α-nitroso-β-naphthol in the dodecylamine collector system: Insights from multiscale simulations and experiments

The present study investigated the interaction mechanism between α-nitroso-β-naphthol (αNβN) and smithsonite, and analyzed its performance in the dodecylamine (DDA) collector system. The results showed that at pH 8.0 and 10 mg/L DDA, the flotation recovery of smithsonite increased significantly from 19.64 % to 81.81 % after activation with 5 mg/L αNβN. In the DDA collector system, αNβN underwent chemical adsorption onto the smithsonite surface, which enhanced the hydrophobicity and zeta potential of the activated smithsonite. Density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation results confirmed that αNβN chemically adsorbed onto Zn sites on smithsonite via its nitroso group (R-N=O), reducing the water molecules concentration on the hydration film of smithsonite, and significantly enhancing the adsorption efficiency of DDA. This study demonstrated the superior performance of the novel activator in smithsonite flotation, providing a theoretical foundation for effectively replacing traditional sodium sulfide. This innovation not only improves flotation efficiency but also significantly reduces the negative impact on the environment.