Question

What is the role of adsorption in the froth flotation process used especially for concentration of sulphide ores?
(A) Shape selective catalysts
(B) Adsorption of pine oil on sulphide ore particles
(C) Adsorption of pine oil on impurities
(D) Production of heat in the process of exothermic reaction

Answer 1

Hint: We know that the froth flotation process is used to concentrate the sulphide ores. Collectors and stabilizers are used in the process of froth floatation. Froth floatation process is based on the principle of difference in the wetting properties of ore and gangue with water and oil.

Complete Step by step answer: We know that froth floatation is a metallurgical process for separating hydrophobic material from hydrophilic material. It is based on the principle of difference in the wetting properties of ore and gangue with water and oil.
Froth floatation process is used to extract the metals in which the particles of ore are wetted by oil and particles of gangue are wetted by water. This is done to remove gangue particles from sulphide ores.
A suspension of powdered ore is made in water and small quantities of collectors and stabilizers are added to it. Collectors are adsorbed on the mineral particles and stabilizers are used to stabilize the froth.
The collectors used are pine oil, eucalyptus oil, fatty acids, etc. and the stabilizers used are cresol, aniline, etc.
Examples of sulphide ores are zinc blende, lead sulphide, etc.
Thus, the role of adsorption in the froth flotation process used especially for concentration of sulphide ores is adsorption of pine oil on sulphide ore particles.

Thus, the correct option is (B) adsorption of pine oil on sulphide ore particles.

Note: The process of froth floatation can be used to separate two sulphide ores. This can be done by adjusting the proportion of oil to water or by using depressants. The depressant used is sodium cyanide. The slag formed in this process plays the most important role.