Ultrasonic-Assisted Oil Agglomeration of Calcite: Evaluation of Key Parameters

Abstract

The impact of ultrasound processing on the oil agglomeration behavior of calcite ore was explored in this study. It was indicated that the application of ultrasound as a preliminary treatment substantially improved the efficiency of agglomerate formation within the calcite suspension. Conversely, applying ultrasonic treatment throughout the entire process, in other words, its application at the agglomeration stage, had an adverse effect on agglomeration recovery. The application power value and time of the ultrasonic process have been found to be important parameters. The most effective recovery was achieved under a low-intensity ultrasonic pretreatment, specifically at 60 W for 180 s. Additionally, ultrasonic pretreatment led to an increase in the negative zeta potential of calcite particles according to pH changes in the presence of the collector. This observation showed that ultrasonic treatment promoted the adsorption of sodium oleate molecules onto the calcite surface. Furthermore, samples subjected to ultrasound pretreatment exhibited greater contact angle values compared to untreated samples, indicating enhanced hydrophobicity of calcite surfaces. Under identical experimental conditions, the recovery percentage of agglomerates increased from 90.22% without ultrasonic treatment to 96.45% with ultrasonic pretreatment. Consequently, ultrasonic pretreatment was found to have a beneficial influence on agglomeration recovery.