Effect of Humic Acids on Coal Flotation Part I. Coal Flotation Selectivity in the Presence of Humic Acids

Abstract

Humic acids, products of profound coal oxidation, were shown to strongly affect coal floatability. These anionic polyelectrolytes make the zeta potential values of kerosene droplets as well as coal particles much more negative. Coal flotation selectivity in the presence of a humic acid has been shown to depend upon the time of conditioning with the humic acid and an oily collector (kerosene or fuel oil). After conditioning both humic acid and kerosene (or fuel oil) with coal for a few minutes, subsequent smaller additions of kerosene (or fuel oil) leads to a drastic increase in recovery at much better selectivity.