Flotación de minerales de estaño: Una revisión sistemática de mineralogía, depósitos y reactivos en operaciones industriales

Resumen

El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar sistemáticamente la composición de los minerales de estaño, conocer sus depósitos, identificar los colectores necesarios para la flotación y revisar los procesos de flotación empleados por empresas mineras. La metodología utilizada consistió en una búsqueda sistemática de información relacionada con la flotación de minerales de estaño. Los resultados mostraron que la casiterita (SnO₂) y la estannita (CuS-FeS-SnS₂) son los minerales esenciales. La clasificación de los depósitos de estaño se basa en tres grupos: depósitos diseminados, minerales de grano medio-grueso y minerales de estaño de grano grueso. Los colectores necesarios para la flotación de minerales de estaño son ácido arsénico, ácido fosfónico y ácido dicarboxílico. En el proceso de flotación de la mina Minsur se emplean reactivos depresores y colectores; algunos de ellos son el sulfato de cobre (CuSO₄) y el xantato de amilo. En conclusión, es esencial conocer el proceso de flotación del mineral de estaño debido a la gran demanda de este metal.

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