Review of flotation of feldspar

G. W. Heyes, G. C. Allan, W. J. Bruckard* and G. J. Sparrow

This paper reviews the application of flotation for the separation of feldspar from the other
minerals with which it naturally occurs (such as quartz, clay minerals, mica, ilmenite, rutile,
anatase and magnetite) as well as the separation of the individual feldspar minerals themselves.
Much of the published information on feldspar flotation relates to fundamental studies seeking to
elucidate the mechanism of the separation and recovery of feldspar with anionic or cationic
collectors and activators. However, the separation schemes currently being used industrially are
largely the same as those first proposed 60 years ago because the processes used are very
efficient. The general circuit for commercial separation of feldspar consists of three sequential
stages of flotation, all of which are carried out in an acid medium. Usually, before flotation, the
feed is deslimed, removing any fine clay minerals present. In the first flotation stage, mica is
removed with an amine collector. In the second stage, titanium and iron oxide minerals, such as
ilmenite and magnetite, are removed using an anionic collector. In the third stage, feldspar is
activated with fluoride ions and floated with an amine. The residual product is usually high grade
quartz. This procedure results in feldspar products that meet market specifications, including low
iron levels. Depending on the nature of the ore being treated and the particular contaminants it
contains, one or more of these stages are used. A commercial feldspar product usually contains
more than one feldspar mineral, and flotation conditions for the separation of individual feldspar
minerals have been developed to produce individual feldspar minerals for specific applications.
Potassium feldspar can be floated from sodium feldspar in a sodium chloride solution with an
amine collector at neutral or acidic pH values. To overcome environmental issues when fluoride
ions are used to activate the feldspar in the third flotation stage, fluoride free flotation conditions
that utilise a combination of anionic and cationic collectors have been developed.
Keywords: Review, Flotation, Feldspar

Introduction processing techniques have been developed for the

separation of feldspar from the other minerals with
Feldspar minerals are aluminosilicates of sodium, which it occurs. This separation can be carried out dry,
potassium and calcium. Feldspars are estimated to using electrostatic separation techniques, or wet, using
constitute ,60% of the Earth’s crust, where they make froth flotation. Although the ground feed must be
up a large percentage of exposed rocks, soils, clays and deslimed before separation for both techniques, the
other unconsolidated sediments. A commercial feldspar technique of froth flotation can be applied efficiently
product usually is composed of a mixture of different over a much wider range of sizes than can the technique
feldspar minerals, but separation of individual minerals of electrostatic separation. In particular, the develop-
may be required for certain applications. Feldspar ment of the flotation process has allowed large granitic
minerals are important contributors to both the world deposits to be exploited. As well, the concentrate
economies and our standard of living as they are widely produced by flotation has a higher grade and more
used in the manufacture of glass, in the ceramic consistent composition than that produced using hand
industries and as a filler. Current world production is cobbing techniques alone.
in excess of 18?3 Mt, as shown in Table 1 (Minerals Much of the published information on feldspar
Yearbook, 2009). flotation relates to fundamental studies seeking to
Before ,1940, feldspar was produced commercially elucidate the mechanism of the separation of feldspar
by hand cobbing. Since that time, two different from quartz and other minerals with anionic collectors
or cationic collectors and activators. However, it needs
to be understood that many of these fundamental
CSIRO Process Science and Engineering, Box 312, Clayton South, Vic. studies use only very narrow size ranges of minerals
3169, Australia under test conditions where the ratio of mineral surface
*Corresponding author, email [email protected] area/reagent concentration is very different to that

ß 2012 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and The AusIMM

Published by Maney on behalf of the Institute and The AusIMM
Received 19 August 2011; accepted 14 February 2012 Mineral Processing and Extractive
72 DOI 10.1179/1743285512Y.0000000004 Metallurgy (Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. C) 2012 VOL 121 NO 2
 Heyes et al. Review of flotation of feldspar

which occurs in practical flotation. As a consequence, Associated minerals

extrapolation of laboratory results to commercial The major commercial feldspar deposits occur in
operations often is not straightforward. pegmatites and granites and the degradation products
The separation schemes currently being used indust- of these rock types. In granites, the grain size is relatively
rially are largely the same as those first proposed fine, and in pegmatites, the grain size is coarser. The
60 years ago because the processes used are very major mineral associated with feldspar in these host
efficient. In this review, these schemes are discussed rocks is quartz. However, the pegmatites and granites
along with more recently developed flotation conditions are also a source for other minerals. A range of micas,
to separate individual feldspar minerals and fluoride free some lithium minerals, beryl, columbite and tantalite,
processes to separate feldspar from quartz. the caesium mineral pollucite, some varieties of gem
minerals, monazite and xenotime, as well as titanium
and iron oxide minerals, such as ilmenite, rutile, anatase
Feldspar properties and magnetite, may also be associated with feldspars.
If the ore body has already been degraded, then the
Mineralogy and occurrence deposit might also contain the fine grained clay mineral
The feldspars are a family of rock forming minerals kaolin, derived from the decomposition of feldspar.
consisting of aluminosilicates of sodium, potassium and
calcium. They form a solid solution series within the Surface and electrokinetic properties
ternary system NaAlSi3O8–KAlSi3O8–CaAl2Si2O6 (Deer The lattice structure of feldspar is a continuous three-
et al., 1966). Those feldspars whose compositions range dimensional network of SiO4 and AlO4 tetrahedra with
between the sodium and potassium end members are the cation of appropriate charge in the interstices of the
known as alkali feldspars, and those with compositions negatively charged network (Klein and Hurlbut, 1985).
between the sodium and calcium end members are The amount of cation (Kz, Naz or Ca2z) in the
known as plagioclase feldspars. The commercial feldspar structure is determined by the aluminium/silicon ratio.
minerals are albite (sodium feldspar), orthoclase and The surface reactions of feldspars in water appear to
microcline (potassium feldspars) and anorthite (calcium have some characteristics of those of quartz. In
feldspar). The calculated end member compositions of particular, the formation of surface silanol groups
the principal feldspars are shown in Table 2. However, (5Si–OH) provides an amphoteric character, allowing
natural feldspar minerals have a wide range of the formation of both positive and negative surface
compositions due to extensive substitutions of metal charges. In addition to this amphoteric charge, there is
ions in the mineral lattice. Often, the impurity elements also the possibility of forming a permanent surface
in the structure can have detrimental effects on product charge due to the hydration and dissolution of
quality. interstitial cations (Kz, Naz or Ca2z) upon contact
The physical properties of plagioclase and alkali with water (El Salmawy et al., 1993, and references
feldspars are very similar. The feldspars have a hardness therein).
of 6 and a specific gravity range of 2?54–2?76. Colour is The point of zero charge (pzc) of the individual
feldspar minerals varies slightly. Typically, it is ,1?5 for
more mineral specific and ranges from white to grey to
orthoclase, ,2?0 for albite and ,2?5 for anorthite.
yellow to pink.
Details for each individual feldspar mineral were com-
prehensively summarised by Fuerstenau and Fuerstenau
(1982). Since then, similar values have been confirmed
several times over (Bolin, 1983; Hanumantha Rao and
Table 1 World mine production of feldspar (thousand Forssberg, 1993; Ociepa, 1994; Kursun et al., 1996;
metric tons) in 2008 Vidyadhar et al., 2002; Wierer and Dobias, 1988). Many
United States (estimated) 600 of these references also report variations in the sign and
Argentina 290 magnitude of the zeta potential as a function of solution
Brazil 130 pH. Often, direct comparison of individual pzc values is
China 2000 difficult due to the wide variety of solution conditions
Colombia 100 (electrolyte concentration) and mineral preparation
Czech Republic 490 methods used in the various studies.
Egypt 350
France 650
Germany 170 Beneficiation of feldspars
India 160
Iran 260 The most common method of separation and concen-
Italy 4200 tration of feldspar is using froth flotation, a process
Japan 700 which also provides the best opportunity to recover
Korea 400
Malaysia 250
Mexico 440 Table 2 Theoretical composition (wt-%) of principal
Poland 350 feldspars
Portugal 130
Spain 600 Feldspar K2O Na2O CaO Al2O3 SiO2
Thailand 800
Turkey 3800 Albite … 11.8 … 19.4 68.8
Venezuela 200 Orthoclase 16.9 … … 18.4 64.7
Other countries 1200 Microcline 16.9 … … 18.4 64.7
World total (rounded) 18 300 Anorthite … … 20.1 36.6 43.3

Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. C) 2012 VOL 121 NO 2 73
Heyes et al. Review of flotation of feldspar

other components from the feedstock as saleable 1939; Dean and Ambrose, 1944). Hydrofluoric acid was
products. Because the collectors used for non-sulphide thought to be a depressant for quartz. It was noted that
flotation are generally non-specific, efficient separation the same separation did not occur if hydrochloric acid
requires knowledge of the response of feldspar to the was substituted for hydrofluoric acid (Dean and
different classes of collector. There have been many Ambrose, 1944).
fundamental studies into the separation of feldspars The function of the acid has been regarded variously
from associated minerals using anionic and cationic as a surface conditioner or cleanser, which removes the
collectors. As well, the effects of common modifiers and alteration products from the surface of the mineral
the conditions under which they may act as either (Kennedy and O’Meara, 1948), an activator in the
activators or depressants, either for feldspar or the other presence of cationic collectors (O’Meara et al., 1939;
commonly associated minerals, have been investigated. Runke, 1954) or a complexing agent for the removal of
As with most oxide flotation schemes, efficient interfering cations from the solution (Gaudin, 1957).
desliming before flotation is generally required to enable Further studies (Dean and Ambrose, 1944; Bucken-
effective separations to be made and to reduce reagent ham and Rogers, 1954) suggested that the separation
consumption. is sensitive to the concentration of fluoride with the
effect being a result of the activation of feldspar by the
Flotation using anionic collectors formation on the mineral surfaces of fluoroaluminate
The surface chemistry of feldspar is similar to that of complexes that provide sites suitable for the adsorp-
quartz. The mineral has a pzc of around 1?5–2?5 tion of a collector cation (Buckenham and Rogers,
(Fuerstenau and Fuerstenau, 1982) and is therefore 1954).
not floatable with anionic collectors in the absence of Fluorosilicates are also expected to be present in
activating cations (Trahar and Heyes, 1963; Fuerstenau, flotation pulps where quartz is being separated from
et al., 1966; Manser, 1975). feldspar (Smith, 1965; Read and Manser, 1975). At the
Because anionic collectors do not float unactivated dosages of HF used in commercial flotation, the
feldspar, they are used in a prefloat to remove titanium hexafluorosilicate ion (SiF2{
6 ) is stable, and its adsorp-
and iron oxide minerals, which might discolour the final tion on aluminium at the mineral surface is proposed to
feldspar concentrate or the products that are made from be responsible for the activation of feldspar. Activation
it. However, if the feldspar is naturally activated, for may also be assisted by the HF{ 2 species also present in
example, with iron or aluminium, it will be readily the solution (Hanumantha Rao and Forssberg, 1994).
floatable with anionic collectors (Trahar and Heyes, Precipitation of sodium or potassium fluorosilicate on
1963), leading to substantial losses of feldspar in this the surface on which the cationic collector can adsorb
reject product.
preferentially has also been proposed (Smith and
The anionic collectors that have been used in the
Smolik, 1965).
prefloat include fatty acids and their esters, petroleum
When iron is present, iron fluoro complexes predo-
sulphonates, alkyl sulphonates, alkyl sulphates, alkyl
minate in the solution, decreasing the concentrations of
succinamate, soaps of vegetables oils, oleoyl sarcosine
SiF2{
6 and HF{ 2 , and flotation efficiency, so iron con-
and hydroxamates (Bayraktar, et al., 1997; Celik et al.,
taining minerals should be removed before the flotation
2001).
separation of feldspar from quartz (Hanumantha Rao
There have been claims that oleic acid will float
and Forssberg, 1994).
unactivated feldspar (Gaudin and Glover, 1928).
Warren and Kitchener (1972) measured the zeta
However, when Orhan and Bayraktar (2006) separated
potentials of quartz and microcline under simulated
mica from a feldspar ore by flotation with tallow amine
flotation conditions and concluded that fluoride causes
acetate as a collector and then separated iron and
titanium oxide minerals using sodium oleate, they found depression of quartz and activation of feldspar to
that, in the presence of residual amine, co-adsorption of flotation with cationic amine collectors by decreasing
oleate on the feldspar occurred, resulting in the flotation and increasing the negative potentials of quartz and
and loss of feldspar with the titanium and iron oxide microcline respectively.
minerals. The residual amine collector could be removed Smith and Akhtar (1976) studied contact angles on
with a dewatering and washing step after mica flotation quartz and feldspar in the presence of dodecylamine. In
or by the addition of bentonite to adsorb the amine. acidic solution, in the absence of fluoride ions, both
minerals gave the same angle. Note that, although a
Flotation using cationic collectors small positive angle was obtained rather than the
Feldspars are floated readily by cationic collectors, and expected zero, that is likely to be a reflection of the
in the absence of any modifier, their response is almost experimental procedure used. However, in the presence
identical to that of quartz (Dean and Ambrose, 1944; of fluoride ions, the contact angle on feldspar increased
Buckenham and Rogers, 1954). Flotation is readily substantially, while no difference could be seen in the
achieved in the alkaline pH range with the best response contact angle on quartz. Under these conditions,
observed in the range pH 9–10. fluoride acts as an activator for feldspar rather than a
depressant for quartz.
Activators for use with cationic collectors The above conclusion is supported by the zeta
Early studies showed that, as distinct from quartz, potential data of Bolin (1983), who showed that the
feldspars can be floated by cationic collectors in an acid zeta potential at pH 3 for an orthoclase sample was
medium in the presence of soluble fluorides. Selective larger (more negative) after the addition of fluoride ions
separation of feldspar in strongly acidic solutions was while the zeta potential of quartz was unaffected, thus
achieved using lauryl amine as collector in the presence increasing the difference in zeta potential upon which
of hydrofluoric acid (Ralston, 1938; O’Meara et al., the flotation separation is reliant.

74 Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. C) 2012 VOL 121 NO 2
 Heyes et al. Review of flotation of feldspar

The proposition of Joy et al. (1966), that the role of

fluoride was one of depressing quartz as distinct from
the activation of feldspar, is much less convincing. It
should be pointed out that many of the researchers who
have proposed this mechanism have invariably used very
low quantities of fluoride relative to the dose rate used in
either laboratory batch tests or in plant practice.
Further, much of this test work was carried out in a
Hallimond tube, where the ratio of collector concentra-
tion/surface area is orders of magnitude different from
that which occurs in industrial flotation cells.
Using real flotation systems, that is, those with a
complete size range of mineral, another study showed
that an addition of hydrofluoric acid at about 1–
2 kg t21 was sufficient to achieve an efficient separation
(Eddy et al., 1969). Another study on pegmatite ore
showed that a hydrofluoric acid dose rate of 1?5 kg t21
gave good feldspar grade and recovery (Read and
Manser, 1975).
Even though it is now well established that fluoride
functions as an activator for the flotation of feldspar,
there is no general agreement on the mechanism by
which this occurs. Even so, this reagent scheme, using
hydrofluoric acid (or sodium fluoride in an acid circuit)
with an amine collector, has become standard plant
practice and still provides the most efficient means of
separating feldspar minerals from associated gangue
minerals. 1 General flotation flowsheet for separation of feldspar
from other associated minerals
Commercial separation schemes
Commercial separation schemes for separating and a feldspar concentrate. Burat et al. (2007) used a wet
recovering feldspar from granites and pegmatites gen- high intensity magnetic separation step to remove iron
erally consist of three sequential stages of flotation, as and titanium oxide minerals before flotation. For the
shown in the simple flowsheet in Fig. 1, all of which are treatment of fine grained materials from a fine, low
carried out in an acid medium (Kauffman and van Dyk, grade feldspar ore, Kangal and Guney (2002) used jet
1994). Depending on the nature of the ore and the other flotation to remove the iron and titanium oxide
minerals associated with feldspar, one or more of the minerals, and Dogu and Arol (2004) used selective
individual stages are used. flocculation with starch to remove impure oxide miner-
If kaolin is present in the feldspar ore as a result of the als from a feldspar ore finely ground to liberate the
decomposition of feldspar, it will be fine grained and can impurities.
be separated from feldspar in the normal course of
desliming the ore before flotation. While some micas Separation of feldspar minerals
(e.g. sericite: fine grained muscovite) show a tendency
toward natural floatability, all varieties of the mineral Some commercial applications for feldspar minerals
can be readily floated in acidic pulps at a pH of ,2 with require the mixture of minerals in a commercial
cationic collectors. The dose rates used are typically concentrate be separated into individual feldspar miner-
about 0?1–0?5 kg t21. Under these conditions, neither als. Gülgönül et al. (2008) have summarised publications
quartz nor feldspar will float unless activated. Following that report attempts to separate feldspar minerals.
the flotation of mica, titanium and iron oxide minerals Ociepa (1994) observed differences in the properties of
may be removed at the same pH using an anionic individual feldspar minerals on the addition of an amine
collector (e.g. a petroleum sulphonate) at a dose rate of collector. The zeta potential of potassium feldspars
about 0?5–2?0 kg t21. Again, neither quartz nor feldspar (microcline and orthoclase) decreased to smaller values
will float unless activated. Using this procedure, some compared with those for sodium feldspars (albite and
operations report residual iron levels of as low as 0?06% oligoclase) due to the weaker adsorption of the collector
Fe after this stage. The standard separation of feldspar on sodium feldspar. These changes were considered to
from quartz is also carried out at pH 2. The feldspar is be consistent with the potassium feldspars floating better
activated with fluoride ions and floated with a cationic than the sodium feldspars.
collector. The residual product, in many cases, consists Ociepa (1994) also reported that the flotation proper-
of a high grade quartz product that may have some ties of individual feldspar minerals were different in
commercial value. sodium chloride and potassium chloride solutions as the
Recent applications of the scheme in Fig. 1 for the hydration effects of the cations affected the force
recovery of feldspars are given by Bozkurt et al. (2006) required to detach bubbles from the minerals. In sodium
and Gülsoy et al. (2004). A combination of AERO chloride, a smaller force was required for the detach-
collectors was used by Sekulić et al. (2004) and Bayat ment of bubbles from sodium feldspars compared with
et al. (2006) to float iron and titanium minerals to obtain potassium feldspars, and the opposite effect was

Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. C) 2012 VOL 121 NO 2 75
Heyes et al. Review of flotation of feldspar

observed in potassium chloride solution. In sodium obtain good flotation separation of quartz from micro-
chloride at pH 5?8 or 2?5 (adjusted with hydrofluoric cline due to the presence of silanol groups on quartz,
acid), potassium feldspars were reported to float much allowing hydrogen bonding with the ether oxygen of the
better with an amine collector than sodium feldspars. In oxyethylene chain (El Salmawy et al., 1993). Thus, the
the potassium chloride solution, all feldspars had lower use of non-ionic collectors may offer the possibility of
floatabilities. separating quartz from feldspar by flotation without the
Gülsoy et al. (2005) differentially floated orthoclase addition of hydrofluoric acid.
from albite in sodium chloride solution (20 kg t21) at Liu et al. (1993) used multiple conditioning steps to
pH 2?5–3 (controlled with hydrofluoric acid) using float feldspar from quartz at pH 5?6. In the first step,
tallow amine acetate (ArmacTD) as a collector. oleic acid was added to the feldspar–quartz mixture,
Demir et al. (2001) obtained a separation of micro- where it adsorbed onto both minerals. However,
cline from albite with microflotation in a sodium adsorption through aluminium resulted in its stronger
chloride solution (5 kg t21, equivalent to 561022M, adsorption on feldspar so that the addition of sodium
being the best concentration) using an amine (Genamin- hexametaphosphate in the second step resulted in the
TAP from Clariant in Germany) collector. A less desorption of oleate from quartz. Feldspar could then be
efficient separation was achieved at higher sodium floated from quartz with dodecylamine hydrochloride.
chloride concentrations and in a potassium chloride Another approach has been to use mixed collector
solution. The former was also observed by Ociepa systems, in the absence of fluoride ions, to achieve a
(1994). Demir et al. (2001) proposed that ion exchange separation. The two collectors proposed by Katayanagi
between uncommon ions and adsorption of common (1974) to float quartz from feldspar were a tallow
ions on the feldspar minerals created differences in diamine acetate and sodium petroleum sulphonate in a
surface charge that controlled the adsorption of the medium made acid with either hydrochloric or sulphuric
amine collector. acid. Tan et al. (1993) have used the same collector
Karaguzel et al. (2006) reported separation of micro- system to achieve a separation in a commercial plant. In
cline from albite at low pH (2?5–2?8) in a sodium a similar approach, a combined anionic–cationic collector,
chloride solution with an amine collector (Genamin- N-tallow-back 1,3–propylenediamine-dioleate (Duomeen
TAP from Clariant in Germany). They showed that the TDO), was used to float feldspar from quartz by Malghan
use of sulphuric acid instead of hydrofluoric acid to (1981) and Vidyadhar et al. (2002)
control the pH was less effective. A polycondensation product of dicyandiamide and
Demir et al. (2003) attempted to separate sodium formaldehyde (Melflock from SKW Trostberg, Ger-
feldspars from potassium feldspars in solutions of salts many) was used by Jakobs and Dobias (1991) as an
of divalent ions. On the basis of similar ionic sizes, they activator for feldspar in the separation of potassium
substituted calcium for sodium and barium for potas- feldspar from quartz with an alkyl aryl sulphonate
sium. The separation of microcline from albite at natural collector at pH 2?1. The addition of a carboxylic acid
pH was more efficient in calcium chloride compared and a non-ionic detergent (the latter to improve froth
with barium chloride (both 1 kg t21, equivalent to properties) with Melflock and the sulphonate collector
1022M). This was proposed to be a result of the faster significantly improved feldspar recovery and the con-
ion exchange of calcium for sodium in albite followed by centrate grade. Slightly lower recovery but better grade
significant calcium adsorption, resulting in an increased was obtained when a sulphosuccinate, containing both
positive charge on albite impeding amine adsorption. sulphonate and carboxyl functional groups, was used
However, further work reported by Gülgönül et al. with Melflock.
(2008) found that the flotation properties of six
The mechanism by which these mixed collectors
microcline samples were different due to the presence
function has not been clearly defined. However, it is
of nanospots containing high concentrations of metal
clear that their action depends on the inherent small
ions (Mn, Cu, Ba, Fe and Ni) on their surfaces. The
surface charge differences that might be exploited to
nanospots controlled amine adsorption and so the
allow differential adsorption of the collectors (as
selectivity of the feldspar mineral separations. These
molecular complexes) on the feldspar and the quartz
results suggest that while the general flotation conditions
surfaces at pH 2 (Hanumantha Rao and Forssberg,
in a sodium chloride solution may be beneficial for the
1993; Shimoiizaka et al., 1976, Tan et al., 1993;
separation of potassium feldspar from sodium feldspar,
Vidyadhar et al., 2002).
detailed testing is likely to be required to achieve an
The presence of a slime fraction in the feed has been
efficient separation.
shown to adversely affect the separation achieved with
these mixed collector systems (Vidyadhar et al., 2002),
Fluoride free flotation schemes presumably by affecting the distribution of the collectors
Because of possible environmental issues associated on the minerals. A preconditioning attrition stage was
with the use of fluoride ions in the feldspar–quartz used by Tan et al. (1993) to deslime the ore before
separation, there have been several attempts to find flotation in their commercial operation. Moreover,
a non-fluoride process that is more environmentally Malghan (1981) found that for the mixed collector
acceptable. system to perform better than the fluoride containing
Shehu and Spaziani (1999) showed that the use of system, coarser sized particles (.600 mm) should be
ethylenediaminetetracetic acid as a modifier could treated.
improve the efficiency of the separation of feldspar In a commercial flotation operation, the presence of
from quartz with a cationic collector. many different cations in the pulp is likely to reduce the
Moreover, a non-ionic surfactant, Brij 58 [polyox- charge difference between quartz and feldspar, which is
yethylene (20) cetyl ether], was used as a collector to the basis for these non-fluoride separations. Thus, the

76 Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. C) 2012 VOL 121 NO 2
 Heyes et al. Review of flotation of feldspar

possibility of obtaining substantial improvement using ore in Turkey, Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. C: Miner. Process. Extr.
Metall., 114C, C80–C86.
the mixed collector system appears to be limited
Hanumantha Rao, K. and Forssberg, K. S. E. 1993. Solution chemistry
(Hanumantha Rao and Forssberg, 1993). of mixed cationic/anionic collectors and flotation of feldspar from
quartz, Proc. XVIII Int. Mineral Processing Cong., Sydney,
Acknowledgements NSW, Australia, May, The Australasian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy, Vol. 4, 837–844.
The authors wish to acknowledge the library staff of the Hanumantha Rao, K. and Forssberg, K. S. E. 1994. Feldspar-quartz
flotation system and need for new reagent scheme, in Reagents for
CSIRO Process Science and Engineering for their help in
better metallurgy, (ed. P. S. Mulukutla), Chap. 21; Littleton, CO,
obtaining the feldspar references. Dr J. Bear and Ms A. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc, 203–213.
Riley are thanked for their assistance with the prepara- Jakobs, U. and Dobias, B. 1991. New aspects in the flotation
tion of this paper. separation of feldspar and quartz, Proc. XVII Int. Mineral
Processing Cong. Preprints, Dresden, Polygraphischer Bereich,
Bergakadmie Freiberg, Vol. IV, 237–247.
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