Effects of citric acid on separation of sillimanite from quartz

Quartz is the main gangue mineral of sillimanite. The results show that Al3+ and Fe3+ ion can activate the floatation of quartz and make the separation of quartz and sillimanite difficult when anion collector is used, and citric acid can inhibit the quartz activated by metallic ion and have slight influence on the sillimanite. X-ray photoelectronic energy spectrum analysis indicates that there are obvious electronic energy peaks on the surface of the quartz before citric acid is added into the ore pulp in presence of Al3+ and Fe3+, and after citric acid is added, the energy peak vanished. So citric acid can make Al3+ and Fe3+ on the surface of quartz solve and decrease the active points on the surface of quartz which can adsorb anion collector.