The effect of acrylamide-co-vinylpyrrolidinone copolymer on the depression of talc in mixed nickel mineral flotation

Abstract

Copolymers of acrylamide and vinylpyrrolidinone with varying compositions have been synthesised and employed to depress talc in a model flotation system with process plant operation conditions. Adsorption isotherms indicated that the hydrophilic acrylamide homopolymer has a very low affinity for the hydrophobic talc surface, whereas vinylpyrrolidinone homopolymer strongly adsorbs onto the talc surface. Micro-flotation experiments revealed that the copolymer system can induce stronger talc depression than the homopolymer variants, with the most effective copolymer depressant having 25-30% vinylpyrrolidinone incorporation. The copolymer system is observed to have inherited the strong talc affi..