Microflotation of vanadium from acid solutions

Microflotation (interaction of metal ion with surface-active collector (SAScollector) and their joint sedimentation) is one of vanadium isolation methods in hydrometallurgical industry. That's why this method may be also named as the ionic-sedimentation flotation. In spite of the fact that this method has already been used for many years, selection of the SAS-collector, definition of optimal conditions of isolation and assessment of the process efficiency are still the urgent tasks. This paper shows the results of flotation extraction of vanadium by cationic SAScollector. Vanadium microflotation was carried out in one-chamber unit by pneumatic flotation in periodic mode. Assessment of efficiency of interaction of cationic SAS with vanadium and definition of optimal sorption conditions used the concentration constitutional diagrams. The boundaries of molecular solution, micellar-colloid solution and hydrophobic sublate were defined. IR-spectroscopy method defined the nature of interaction of cationic SAS with vanadium. From the technological point of view, foam flotation is rather complicated process - that's why, its detail description needed the calculation of extraction, concentration coefficient and the grade of solution transfer into flotation product. Flotation extraction of vanadium from the cleansing solutions of the Chusovoy Metallurgical Works proved that Mg, Na, Ca and K ions do not make any obstacles to vanadium extraction. Together with vanadium, only Mg ions are partially transfered into the flotation product. After the flotation product annealing, the MnO V2O5 phase (5 %) was found.