Continuous monitoring of EDTA extractable iron from mineral slurries using a microfluidic chip

In mineral processing, iron oxidation species formed on the mineral surface play a dominant role in depressing mineral flotation and must be monitored. Current analytical methods rely on off-line sample preparation followed by conventional analytical techniques, which are labour intensive and time delayed. This paper reports the successful application of an open microfluidic chip for real-time continuous monitoring of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) extractable iron (derived from iron oxidation species) in mineral slurries. A detailed mineralogical study of the mineral ore before and after leaching by EDTA has been undertaken to understand the leaching behaviour of the EDTA-slurry extraction system, showing good agreement with solution analysis.

Automated summary

This study successfully applied an open microfluidic chip for real-time continuous monitoring of EDTA extractable iron in mineral slurries, providing a convenient and efficient analysis method for depressing mineral flotation in mineral processing.