Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

Xanthates are compounds used to aid froth flotation in the mining industry to improve metal extraction ofx000D
sulphide minerals by selectively separating hydrophobic and hydrophilic minerals. We recently completed anx000D
NSERC Engage project with New Afton Mine (New Gold Inc.) in which we successfully developed a capillaryx000D
electrophoresis (CE) method for separating the xanthates - amyl, isobutyl, isopropyl, and ethyl. The developedx000D
method enables us to separate and quantify the different xanthates. In the Engage work, a good detection limitx000D
was achieved in the lower part-per-million (ppm) range. However, we would like to improve upon thisx000D
detection limit to enable the quantification of even lower concentrations of xanthates which may be present inx000D
the tailings samples. Thus, in the Engage Plus work efforts will be made to attain a detection limit in thex000D
part-per-billion (ppb) range. Accurate testing of xanthates in this ppb range will help to understand ways ofx000D
improving the use of potassium amyl xanthate (PAX) in the circuit and limit its overuse so that the mill circuitx000D
is not wasting xanthate nor starving the circuit. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) will alsox000D
be developed to verify the accuracy of the CE results. We would also study the degradation process of variousx000D
xanthates using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). This will allow for quantification of thex000D
volatile degradation products evolved from each of the xanthates under varying conditions. The findings fromx000D
this method would provide ideas on the method best suited for an on-stream analyzer and steps will be taken tox000D
understand the limitations of such an application. Benefits from development of an on-stream analyzer havex000D
huge implications in the mining industry. Mill management is particularly interested in examining the potentialx000D
on-stream analyzer application of the developed methods. A comprehensive understanding of the degradationx000D
process is expected from this work and can then be applied to flotation circuits to improve flotation efficiencyx000D
and minimize degradation of product, thus providing extensive monetary and industrial benefit.