Contact Angle Studies of Ethyl Xanthate Coated Galena Particles

The wettability of ethyl xanthate coated galena particles has been determined from measurements of the equilibrium capillary pressure across a packed bed. Both the advancing liquid powder contact angle, thetap, and the specific wettable surface area, Awet, of galena particles have been obtained. The influence of particle size and ethyl xanthate surface coverage on the powder contact angle have been investigated and compared with floatability. Ethyl xanthate at a surface coverage of less than ten percent of an equivalent monolayer significantly increases both thetap and particle floatability.