Synthesis and utilization of a novel amidoxime collector for the flotation separation of cuprite from calcite

[Display omitted] •The novel PEBH collector synthesized in our laboratory can be used for flotation of copper oxide ore.•PEBH improved the hydrophobicity of cuprite.•The selectivity of PEBH to cuprite is better than that of calcite.•Chemical adsorption of PEBH on Cu–N and Cu–O bonds. In this study, a novel copper oxide flotation collector, p-methylphenylethyl amide oxime (PEBH), was synthesized via the nitrile–hydroxylamine method, and the flotation behavior of cuprite and calcite under this collector system was studied. The oxime groups of the collector provided additional action sites to form stable chelates with metal ions. The performance of PEBH in cuprite ore flotation was investigated via contact angle measurement, zeta potential measurement, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and calculations based on the EDLVO (extended Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek) theory. The flotation experiments of single minerals and artificial mixed minerals indicated that PEBH has excellent flotation ability. At pH 11 and PEBH concentration of 2 × 10−4 mol/L, the cuprite recovery is as high as 96.84 %. Under alkaline conditions of pH 9.0 and 11.0, it can effectively separate cuprite from calcite. Contact angle measurements showed that PEBH significantly enhanced the surface hydrophobicity of cuprite. Zeta potential, FTIR spectroscopy, and XPS analyses revealed the selective chemical adsorption of PEBH onto the Cu sites of cuprite. The results of EDLVO theory-based calculations further confirmed after PEBH action, the attraction between cuprite and bubbles significantly increased, which is beneficial to cuprite flotation. Overall, the results demonstrate that PEBH is a potential collector for the flotation separation of cuprite from calcite.