Mechanism study of the impact of water-borne bacteria on flotation
Bacteria-containing water is being increasingly accessed by the minerals industry as an alternative water source to improve water efficiency. Water-borne bacteria have been shown to negatively affect the efficiency of froth flotation when using a representative system consisting of E. coli as the mo...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2013
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31291 |
| _version_ | 1848753337770442752 |
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| author | Liu, W. Moran, Chris Vink, S. |
| author_facet | Liu, W. Moran, Chris Vink, S. |
| author_sort | Liu, W. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Bacteria-containing water is being increasingly accessed by the minerals industry as an alternative water source to improve water efficiency. Water-borne bacteria have been shown to negatively affect the efficiency of froth flotation when using a representative system consisting of E. coli as the model bacterium and chalcopyrite as the model mineral. It is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms that could explain the observed effect, to provide guidance on the subsequent solutions to deal with it. This study conducted a systematic investigation into the mechanism by which bacteria affect flotation efficiency using fluorescence microscopy, bubble attachment time measurements, and froth phase characteristics. E. coli bacterial cells in solution were found to attach to chalcopyrite surfaces. In turn, the surface hydrophobicity of chalcopyrite particles decreased as the number of the attached bacterial cells increased. Reduction in surface hydrophobicity resulted in less mineral particles attaching to bubbles, leading to decreased froth stability, bubble coalescence rate and froth velocity. Slurry pH and Eh were also affected by the presence of the bacterial cells. These changes were correlated with reductions in flotation recoveries. These experimental results contribute to an understanding of how biotic water constituents impact the operation of flotation plants that choose to use alternative water sources, and provide knowledge towards possible solutions to the negative effect of water-borne bacteria. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:22:55Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-31291 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:22:55Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-312912017-09-13T15:22:16Z Mechanism study of the impact of water-borne bacteria on flotation Liu, W. Moran, Chris Vink, S. Bacteria-containing water is being increasingly accessed by the minerals industry as an alternative water source to improve water efficiency. Water-borne bacteria have been shown to negatively affect the efficiency of froth flotation when using a representative system consisting of E. coli as the model bacterium and chalcopyrite as the model mineral. It is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms that could explain the observed effect, to provide guidance on the subsequent solutions to deal with it. This study conducted a systematic investigation into the mechanism by which bacteria affect flotation efficiency using fluorescence microscopy, bubble attachment time measurements, and froth phase characteristics. E. coli bacterial cells in solution were found to attach to chalcopyrite surfaces. In turn, the surface hydrophobicity of chalcopyrite particles decreased as the number of the attached bacterial cells increased. Reduction in surface hydrophobicity resulted in less mineral particles attaching to bubbles, leading to decreased froth stability, bubble coalescence rate and froth velocity. Slurry pH and Eh were also affected by the presence of the bacterial cells. These changes were correlated with reductions in flotation recoveries. These experimental results contribute to an understanding of how biotic water constituents impact the operation of flotation plants that choose to use alternative water sources, and provide knowledge towards possible solutions to the negative effect of water-borne bacteria. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31291 10.1016/j.minpro.2013.04.015 Elsevier restricted |
| spellingShingle | Liu, W. Moran, Chris Vink, S. Mechanism study of the impact of water-borne bacteria on flotation |
| title | Mechanism study of the impact of water-borne bacteria on flotation |
| title_full | Mechanism study of the impact of water-borne bacteria on flotation |
| title_fullStr | Mechanism study of the impact of water-borne bacteria on flotation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanism study of the impact of water-borne bacteria on flotation |
| title_short | Mechanism study of the impact of water-borne bacteria on flotation |
| title_sort | mechanism study of the impact of water-borne bacteria on flotation |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31291 |