
Collectors for Precious Metals Mining
Collectors are a critical component for precious metals mining recovery. Selectivity, collecting power and pH compatibility all impact your outcome. Collector performance is particularly important for gold and silver sulfides since they are difficult deposits from which to extract target minerals.

Nalco Water Collector Chemistry and Expertise
Effective collector chemistry is just the beginning. To reach optimal recovery, you need a partner who also has experience. Nalco Water offers both. Our collectors have a range of benefits, including high selectivity and stability over a wide pH range, that help you achieve your desired recovery.
Nalco Water Collectors for Gold and Silver
These products are xanthate replacements with much more stability in both acid and alkaline circuits and in solution. They are very powerful sulfide collectors primarily used in bulk sulfide flotation for ores containing iron sulfides associated with precious metals, copper, lead, zinc and nickel.
- More stable than xanthate.
- Good xanthate replacements.
- Strong collecting power for sulphides containing precious metals and pyrite.
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NALFLOTE C60-03 |
NALFLOTE C60-10 |
NALFLOTE C60-01 |
COLLECT-ORE™ C122 is a formulated collector offering unique benefits in the flotation of copper and copper-gold ores. In copper circuits, the unique formulation enhances copper selectivity and enables a high recovery. When used in precious metals containing ores, it is designed to boost gold recovery in Cu/Au circuits.
- High selectivity against pyrite.
- Selective towards copper in Cu-Pb-Zn flotation.
- Exhibits good activity over a wide pH range.
- Affinity towards precious metals.
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NALFLOTE C122 |
These collectors exhibit an affinity for precious metals (Au, Ag, Pt), and they are typically used as a secondary collector in combination with a stronger xanthate. These products tend to offer enhanced selectivity against iron sulfides, particularly pyrite and they are ideal when the recovery of copper minerals associated with precious metals is desired. They are effective collectors in the flotation of sulfide minerals and precious metals in highly acidic to moderately alkaline circuits, while offering enhanced selectivity against iron sulfides. They may offer improved flotation kinetics compared to similar collectors.
- Provide optimum recovery of both copper and precious metals.
- Excellent selectivity against iron sulfides.
- Lower dosage requirement compared to traditional sulfide collectors.
- Functional over a wide pH range.
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NALFLOTE C210 |
NALFLOTE C212 |
NALFLOTE C220 |
NALFLOTE C232 |
NALFLOTE C234 |
These collectors are proprietary formulations suitable for precious metals collection in copper ores and platinum group mineral ores. They offer high recovery of sulfide minerals associated with precious metals. They also offer high stability across a wide pH range. The collectors are insoluble in water and are often added to the grinding mill or pre-conditioning tank.
- Improved copper recovery.
- Fast kinetics.
- Improved recovery of precious metals associated with sulfide minerals.
- Lower dosage requirement compared to traditional sulfide collectors.
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NALFLOTE C310 |
NALFLOTE C323 |
These are aqueous collectors based on formulations of mercaptobenzothiazoles. These products are used for the flotation of sulfides containing copper, lead, zinc and nickel and for the flotation of iron sulfides in acid circuits. They also have a special utility for slow floating tarnished minerals and where sulfidization is used.
- Strong bulk sulphide collector suitable for collecting gold and PGMs in pyrite and pyrrhotite.
- They are also useful collectors for nickel sulfides such as pentlandite and nickeliferrous pyrrhotite and pyrite.
- Improve the kinetics of slow floating, tarnished minerals alone or with sulfidizers.
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NALFLOT C500 |
NALFLOTE C534 |
These collectors are used primarily for the flotation of sulfide ores containing copper, lead, zinc, silver, and gold. Nalco Water's technical specialists can modify the collector functional chemistry to alter the collector activity, frothing characteristics and pH operating range, making these base thiol chemistries a very versatile series of products.
- Selective against pyrite.
- Suitable for gold flotation at all pH values.
- More stable than xanthates.
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NALFLOTE C2801A |
NALFLOTE C2804 |
NALFLOTE C2805 |
NALFLOTE C2020 |
NALFLOTE C2034 |
NALFLOTE C2044 |
NALFLOTE C2075 |
NALFLOTE C2200 |
NALFLOTE C2200LF |
NALFLOTE C2644 |
These collectors are widely used in multi-metal sulfide ore when the strongest collecting power is required and selectivity. PAX is the most powerful and least selective of all the commercially used xanthates. Flottec PAX is also recommended for oxidized or tarnished ores due to its pulling power.
- Provide high collecting power.
- Cheaper than most strong sulphide collectors.
- Suitable for oxidised ores.
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Flottec PAX 90% |
Flottec PAX 80% |
Flottec PAX 930% |
This is a stronger collector than sodium isopropyl xanthate and is fairly selective. It is most commonly used in zinc flotation circuits because it is selective against iron sulfides at high pH while aggressively collecting the copper-activated zinc.
- Higher selectivity than PAX.
- Compromise between collecting power and selectivity against pyrite.
- Strong primary collector.
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Flottec SIBX |
This is a widely used collector in multi-metal sulphide ore for good compromise between collecting power and selectivity. It is a stronger collector than potassium ethyl xanthate and is fairly selective. It can float all sulfides but is not recommended for scavenging or high grade sulfides. It is most commonly used in zinc flotation circuits because it is selective against iron sulfides at high pH while aggressively collecting the copper-activated zinc. It has also been used to float pyrite and pyrrhotite if the iron sulfide grade is fairly low and the pH is low.
- Higher selectivity than most xanthates.
- Higher selectivity against pyrite.
- Strong primary collector when pH is low.
- Good collection of activated sphalerite.
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Flottec SIPX 30% |

Flotation 360™
Mineral processing optimization can feel like a moving target. Changing ore, an incorrect formulation or failing to balance recovery and grade can impact your bottom line. But Nalco Water has your solution: Flotation 360. This digital technology helps you maximize productivity and optimize your flotation circuit performance.
Optimize your circuit with the predictive capabilities of Flotation 360
- Improve performance to increase recovery and profitability
- Enhance visibility of potential impacts of future ore changes, allowing for mitigation of any challenges in advance
- Optimize reagent dosing and chemical consumption, improving the total cost of operations
- Reduce maintenance challenges such as float cell valve failures, and spend less time manually troubleshooting
Other Flotation-Related Offerings
Looking for more information about flotation chemistry? Explore Nalco Water resources for mining and mineral processing.

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