Interactions between Sulfide Minerals and Alkylxanthate Ions .5. A Vibration Spectroscopic Study of the Interactions between Chalcocite, Synthetic Copper(I) Sulfide, Acanthite and Synthetic Silver(I) Sulfide, and Ethylxanthate Ions in Aqueous and Acetone Solutions

Summary, in English

The reactions between chalcocite, synthetic copper(I) sulfide, acanthite and synthetic silver(I) sulfide, and aqueous and acetone solutions of potassium ethylxanthate have been studied. Qualitative analysis of the ethylxanthate species present on the surfaces of the sulfide minerals and the synthetic metal sulfides has been made by means of diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy. Solid copper(I) ethylxanthate was formed on the surfaces of chalcocite and synthetic copper(I) sulfide in the treatment with aqueous solutions of potassium ethylxanthate. No ethylxanthate species were formed on these surfaces in acetone slurries. Solid silver(I) ethylxanthate was formed on synthetic silver(I) sulfide on treatment with ethylxanthate ions in both aqueous and acetone slurries. Very small amounts of solid silver(I) ethylxanthate were also formed on acanthite surfaces in aqueous slurry. No experimental evidence for the formation of chemisorbed complexes of ethylxanthate ions on either copper(I) sulfide or silver(I) sulfide surfaces was found.