Xanthate sulfide collectors — potassium amyl xanthate (PAX) and sodium isobutyl xanthate (SIBX) — plus oleic acid for oxide and salt-type mineral flotation.
Flotation collectors are surface-active reagents that make a target mineral hydrophobic so it attaches to air bubbles and reports to the froth in a flotation cell. Collector choice is set by mineralogy: thiol collectors such as xanthates work on sulfides, while fatty acids work on oxide and salt-type minerals. Match the collector chemistry to the ore before tuning dose, because the wrong family will not attach no matter how much you add.
Potassium amyl xanthate (PAX) and sodium isobutyl xanthate (SIBX) are the standard sulfide collectors. PAX has the longer hydrocarbon chain, so it is the stronger but less selective collector; SIBX is shorter-chain and more selective. That is the working trade-off: recovery versus grade. Use a more selective collector when separating closely associated sulfides, and a stronger one when maximum recovery outweighs concentrate grade.
Oleic acid is the common fatty-acid collector for non-sulfide minerals such as fluorite, hematite, phosphate, and some carbonates. It is dosed as the free acid or as a soap, and performance is sensitive to pulp pH and water hardness. Xanthates carry handling considerations: they are flammable, have a strong characteristic odor, and decompose under heat, acid, or moisture to release carbon disulfide. Store them cool, dry, and sealed, and confirm handling and regulatory status for your jurisdiction.
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