Hi Laura!

This is not an answer, but a comment.

Which types of effect are you interested in? As far as I know clays or layered minerals in general are used in metallurgy to create the die casting molds only. Or there is another application of clays in metallurgy you know? It's interesting and if you know something please share. Thank you.

Thank you Zelimkhan!   My question is focused on the effects (or problems) that can generate the presence of clays in the flotation method to concentrate copper or molybdenum, for example. I'm searching for papers on this subject. I send you a conference article that I found on the web. Cheers,

Hello dear Laura;

First of all it is good paper for start; I was at IMPC2012 and I know the authors of this paper; it is a good work for start.

Yes; you are right; normally presence of clays (fine alumina silicate normally finer than 20 microns) is harmful for floatation system. My expertise is Kaolin processing and in my case I am depressing and dispersing Kaolin in reverse flotation of impurities. Probably presences of clays have some harmful effects on your case (Flotation of copper and molybdenum)  it can be summarize as follow:

1- Changing the rheology and viscosity of slurry

2- These clays are very active (due to high specific surface area) and thirsty for absorbing of chemical reagents; therefore normally reagent consumption can be increased when clay content will be increased in your head sample; therefore selectivity of collectors can be reduced.

3- Normally you will have entrainment of clay during frothing; also clay can change hydrodynamic and rheological conditions during  frothing; when you have ultra-fine clays (sometimes finer than 2 microns); probability of slime coating happening on bubbles or surface of particles could be increased.

4- and so on!!

I have some idea for your work: please follow these affairs:

- Check presences of your target mineral (element); Cu; Mo in very fine size (

Thank you very much Hamed for all the information and advice!

Any clay (not only kaolin ) finer than 20 microns can generate this problems?

I will analyze the samples based on these data.

Thank you for your help again.

Cheers,

Laura

Hello Laura;

Regarding size of clays (forgetting its type); in almost of time clays will be concentrated on very fine (

Thank you very much Hamed for the excellent explanations and the very interesting papers.

All the best,

Laura

Dear Laura,

though discusses gold recovery in the presence of clay minerals, I think it may be useful to you the discussion presented in Q & A in recent days. I copied below the subject and link:

"How can we improve increase depress kaolinite clay to gold flotation recovery?

By Hamed Haghi

Hello dear Mostafa;

I have some solution for you ?!

1) Please check PSD of clay in the slurry and check presenc ...

http://www.researchgate.net/post/How_can_we_depress_kaolinite_clay_to_improve_flotation_gold_recovery?pli=1&loginT=64bS7FQha2JHBH4TtdP1DElawMeP6nBAZLYZ_HskoTk*&uid=6fba8614-59e0-4f37-af7f-24b105a0dcf0&cp=re221_sk_j_e1_jp_p40&ch=reg#view=54cbca8bd5a3f2532a8b4696"

Thank you very much Nilda!

Un abrazo grande,

Laura