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Flotation Purification of Spent Anode Slag with Water-Soluble Kerosene: A Comparative Study

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Abstract

Owing to the selective oxidation and uneven combustion that occur on the surface of carbon anode, some carbon particles detach and form carbon residue, which is defined as spent anode slag (SAS). The highly graphitized and toxic impurities such as fluorite (CaF2), corundum (α-Al2O3), and cryolite (NaAl11O17) are crucial components of SAS resource but are difficult to separate from graphite. This study developed a method of using water-soluble (emulsified) kerosene to separate the carbon particles from the toxic impurities in the SAS resource. The flotation purification approach of utilizing conventional kerosene was experimentally investigated and compared with that of using water-soluble kerosene. The results showed that with the use of emulsified kerosene, the maximum combustible matter recovery of the carbon particles was 89.86% while that of using traditional kerosene was 80.30%. The emulsified kerosene was comprehensively examined by various instruments to clarify its adsorption mechanism on the carbon particle surfaces. Because of the superior dispersibility of emulsified kerosene, it effectively envelops carbon particles with a smooth surface, oxygen-containing functional groups, and hydrophilic C–F bonds, thereby increasing the surface hydrophobicity and flotation responses of targeted carbon particles.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Hu from shiyanjia Lab (www.shiyanjia.com) for support of XPS and FTIR analysis. The authors would like to thank all the reviewers who participated in the review, as well as MJ Editor (www.mjeditor.com) for providing English editing services during the preparation of this manuscript.

Funding

This research was supported by the Foundation of Liupanshui Normal University (No. LPSSYZDZK202203), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52264032), and College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program (Nos. S202210977107 and S202210977052).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mines and Mechanical Engineering, Liupanshui Normal University, Liupanshui, 553004, Guizhou, China

    Shiwei Wang & Guomin Wei

  2. Department of Mining Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering, Western Australian School of Mines, Curtin University, Kalgoorlie, 6430, Australia

    Shiwei Wang

  3. College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Dalian University, Dalian, 116622, Liaoning, China

    Rongjie Kong

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  1. Shiwei Wang
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Correspondence to Shiwei Wang.

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Wang, S., Wei, G. & Kong, R. Flotation Purification of Spent Anode Slag with Water-Soluble Kerosene: A Comparative Study. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 41, 1051–1067 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-024-00931-5

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