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Production of Novel Ionic Polyacrylamide Based Polymer for the Flocculation of Fine Sulphide Mineral Ores and Tailings

Oscar M. Kazembe*, Itai Mutadza**

*-** Harare Institute of Technology, Zimbabwe.

Periodicity:July - September'2021
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jms.9.2.18339

Abstract

Exploration of precious metals in contact with sulphide ores has gained popularity with the exhaustion of the minerals in high grade ore regions. The processing of the sulphide ores via convectional metallurgical practices come with challenges in stages demanding high settling rates of solid suspensions, and hence the research on the production of novel ionic polyacrylamide to facilitate higher settling rates of the sulphide solid suspensions during flocculation and disposal of tailings. This involves the synthesis of aluminium hydroxide colloids with novel ionic properties through the dissolution-precipitation route of Al(OH)₃ microagglomerates. Subsequent polymerization of acrylamide monomer was then done in the presence of the colloidal suspension to produce novel ionic Al-PAM. The molecular weight of the synthesized polymer was determined using intrinsic viscosity, with a peak of 16.19×10⁶ gmol^-1 obtained at a concentration of 30%. The Degree - of Anionicity (DA) was found to be 56.86% determined using peak values of the -COO and -CO groups from the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrum (FTIR). Samples of sulphide tailings were then used to evaluate the suitability of the novel Al-PAM in increasing the settling rates during flocculation.

Keywords

Al-PAM, Sulphide, Polymerization, Flocculation, Tailings.

How to Cite this Article?

Kazembe, O. M., and Mutadza, I. (2021). Production of Novel Ionic Polyacrylamide Based Polymer for the Flocculation of Fine Sulphide Mineral Ores and Tailings. i-manager's Journal on Material Science , 9(2), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.26634/jms.9.2.18339

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