Eco-Friendly Collectors for Graphite Flotation: Performance Evaluation of Elaeis guineensis (Palm) Oil and Arachis Hypogaea (Groundnut) Oil

The increasing global demand for natural flake graphite, driven by its applications in green technology and the potential of graphene, offers a significant opportunity for Nigeria to effectively utilize its graphite resources. However, prioritizing sustainability in mineral processing is essential. The conventional collector, kerosene, is imported and non-biodegradable, presenting both economic and environmental challenges. This research aims to develop a sustainable graphite beneficiation process by exploring the use of locally sourced natural oils as alternative froth flotation collectors, focusing on Ningi graphite Run-of-Mine (R.O.M.) as a case study. The purity of the concentrate and processing efficiency were assessed using graphite burn-off assays and Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) analysis. The innovative eco-friendly froth flotation method achieved a graphite recovery rate of 82.40% using biodegradable oils, specifically Elaeis guineensis (palm) oil and Arachis hypogaea (groundnut) oil. This process resulted in a remarkable improvement in graphite purity—approximately 67-fold—while effectively reducing contamination from metal oxides. Additionally, this technique successfully separated graphite concentrate from non-combustible inorganic impurities, yielding a froth concentrate of 33.0% and achieving an impressive ash removal rate of 73.43%. This methodology addresses the economic and environmental concerns of traditional collectors while enhancing graphite purity. Further research is essential to optimize this novel approach.