A Novel 2‐Acetylpiperidine Dithiocarbamate Collector With Bidentate Ligand for High‐Efficiency Galena Flotation

The separation of galena, sphalerite, and pyrite is problematic due to their similar surface properties and responses to conventional collectors. Herein, a new type of 2‐acetylpiperidine dithiocarbamate (APCT) collector featuring a bidentate ligand was synthesized via a one‐pot method. Single‐mineral flotation experiments demonstrated that APCT exhibited excellent selectivity, with galena recovery reaching 98% at pH 9.0, while sphalerite and pyrite recoveries remained below 15%. The adsorption mechanism of APCT on mineral surfaces was investigated through contact angle, zeta potential and XPS, surface adsorption, interaction forces, quantum chemical calculations, and molecular dynamics simulations. APCT, containing C=S and C=O ligands, was selectively adsorbed on the galena surface at Pb active sites through chemical interactions, forming a stable chelate complex. The results revealed a strong affinity between APCT and the galena surface, exhibiting the shortest adsorption distances and most negative interaction energies among the three minerals. These findings demonstrate that APCT has potential as an efficient collector for galena flotation.