Zhi Lei, Hao Tang, Heng Zhang, Xu-Gang Zhang*, Peng-Fei Xu*
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2026.167873
The effective flotation separation of chalcopyrite and pyrite remains a significant challenge due to their similar surface properties, necessitating the design of novel collectors with high chemical selectivity. This study systematically investigated the effects of the novel collector O, O′-bis(2-methoxyethyl) ammonium dithiophosphate (MEAT) on the flotation separation of chalcopyrite and pyrite. Micro-flotation tests reveal that chalcopyrite can be effectively separated from pyrite at pH 8 using 10−4 mol/L of MEAT, with the recovery margin reaching as high as 77.65%. SEM, AFM, and TEM analyses demonstrated that MEAT substantially altered the structural morphology of chalcopyrite, while exerting minimal impact on pyrite. Zeta potential, FTIR, XPS, and total density of states (TDOS) analyses revealed new peaks on the MEAT-treated chalcopyrite, confirming its chemical adsorption via Cu–S bond formation. The interaction region indicator (IRI) demonstrated that, compared to sodium ethyl xanthogenate (SEX), MEAT exhibits not only favorable charge distribution and intramolecular interactions but also stronger chemical forces toward chalcopyrite. Density functional theory (DFT) further verifies that MEAT possesses a more negative adsorption energy on chalcopyrite, resulting in a more stable adsorption configuration. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of action of collectors in the flotation separation of copper-iron minerals.