Flotation Behaviours of Ilmenite and Associated Solution Chemistry Properties Using Saturated Fatty Acids as the Collector

A series of homologous saturated fatty acids were introduced and evaluated as collectors for ilmenite flotation using a combination of micro-flotation tests and surface tension measurements. The results showed that ilmenite exhibited good flotation behaviour when decanoic and dodecanoic acids were used as collectors; however, saturated fatty acids with shorter or longer carbon chains were not suitable for ilmenite flotation (caused either by poor collection ability or limited solubility in water). The optimum flotation pH range was also dependent on the carbon chain length of saturated fatty acids, and the solution surface tension did not always match well with the ilmenite flotation behaviour when using a series of saturated fatty acids as the collector. The associated solution chemistry properties under series saturated fatty acid flotation systems were discussed, and the adsorption mechanism of decanoic acid onto the ilmenite surface was also investigated via FTIR, zeta potential, and contact angle measurements.