Albite (Na-feldspar) and orthoclase (K-feldspar) are the major feldspar minerals used in the production of glass and ceramics. They are found together with impurities like biotite, muscovite, quartz and rutile which are not desired for ceramics and glass industries. Therefore, these have to be removed to make the ore available for industrial use. In order to shed light on the actual feldspar ores, in this study / the flotation characteristics of albite, biotite, muscovite, orthoclase, quartz and rutile were investigated separately in their pure forms. In the investigation, the electrokinetic potential measurements and micro-flotation studies have been carried out to get information about their flotation characteristics under the effect of three different collectors, Aero 704, Aero 3000C and Aero 825, and the pH of the medium. The flotation recoveries were found to be pH dependent and the effective between the pH range of 7.0 and 11.5 in the presence of Aero 704. In the case of flotation with Aero 3000C, the recoveries reached up to 95.0% at certain concentrations and pH values and decreased sharply below pH 3.0 and above pH 9.5 for all the minerals tested. In the presence of Aero 825, the flotation recoveries of the minerals except for rutile, were found to be insufficient even with its highest concentration. In order to evaluate the adsorption mechanism of the collectors, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses were carried out. From the AFM results it might be deduced that the behavior of Aero 3000C and Aero 825 was found to be almost similar for biotite and muscovite as monolayer adsorption and for the remaining minerals, albite, orthoclase, quartz and rutile, as monolayer and bilayer adsorption together. In the case of Aero 704, for albite and orthoclase, the adsorption of the collector might be the reason for monolayer and bilayer formation on their surfaces. The strength of the interaction of the collectors on the mineral surfaces was followed by FTIR analyses before and after acetone washing. The interaction of all the collectors was found to be weak in the case of albite, orthoclase, quartz and rutile whereas the interaction of Aero 704 and Aero 3000C was found to be strong in the case of biotite and muscovite.

<p>The purpose of this diploma work was to investigate the problem of insufficient fibre recovery in the dissolved air flotation-cell at the new thermomechanical pulping-line at Braviken Paper Mill. An investigation of the effect of process parameters on the removal efficiency in the micro-flotation process was undertaken.</p><p>The experiments were carried out for two setups at the Noss pilot plant with a small-scale flotation unit. Factorial design helped plan the experiments and four factors were controlled; temperature, fibre-size distribution, water quality and feed concentration. Three samples, feed, overflow and filtrate, were taken from each experiment and concentration measurements were made. The results were analyzed using the software MODDE.</p><p>The results from showed an influence from the fibre-size distribution. To see if the fibre-size distribution really had an effect on the results, follow-up experiments were carried out. These experiments showed no influence from temperature, fibre-size distribution or water quality. This concludes that none of those three factors influenced the results significantly.</p><p>Additional experiments were done to examine the influence from concentration and fibre-size distribution on the flotation efficiency and these showed an influence from the feed concentration. When increasing the feed concentration the efficiency of the flotation process decreased.</p>

The purpose of this diploma work was to investigate the problem of insufficient fibre recovery in the dissolved air flotation-cell at the new thermomechanical pulping-line at Braviken Paper Mill. An investigation of the effect of process parameters on the removal efficiency in the micro-flotation process was undertaken. The experiments were carried out for two setups at the Noss pilot plant with a small-scale flotation unit. Factorial design helped plan the experiments and four factors were controlled; temperature, fibre-size distribution, water quality and feed concentration. Three samples, feed, overflow and filtrate, were taken from each experiment and concentration measurements were made. The results were analyzed using the software MODDE. The results from showed an influence from the fibre-size distribution. To see if the fibre-size distribution really had an effect on the results, follow-up experiments were carried out. These experiments showed no influence from temperature, fibre-size distribution or water quality. This concludes that none of those three factors influenced the results significantly. Additional experiments were done to examine the influence from concentration and fibre-size distribution on the flotation efficiency and these showed an influence from the feed concentration. When increasing the feed concentration the efficiency of the flotation process decreased.