Application of a newly synthesized dithiophosphate collector and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate in galena flotation

Effective collectors are crucial for efficient galena (PbS) flotation beneficiation. This study introduces a novel synergistic mixed collector system, comprising sodium diethyl dithiocarbamate (DTC) and O,O’-bis(2-butoxyethyl) ammonium dithiophosphate (BEAT), for enhancing galena recovery and selectivity against sphalerite. Microflotation tests demonstrated that a premixed DTC/BEAT system (1:1 M ratio, at the total dosage of 2 × 10 −5 mol/L) at pH ∼ 7.0 achieved a remarkable galena recovery of 94.23 %, significantly outperforming single collectors. This synergistic effect was further validated through bench-scale flotation of lead–zinc sulfide ores. Wettability results indicated that the mixed DTC/BEAT scheme induced superior hydrophobicity on galena surfaces compared to either single collector. Zeta potential, FTIR and XPS spectra verified the co-adsorption of both DTC and BEAT collectors onto the galena surface. The findings provide an effective strategy for improving galena flotation efficiency in mineral processing.