Abstract:
Seasonal fluctuations in temperature and water quality are critical inducing factors responsible for periodic variations in flotation performance indicators of mines under complex environmental conditions. Nevertheless,most existing studies treat these variables as independent individual factors,lacking systematic insights into their synergistic effects mediated by slurry rheological properties and gangue minerals. From a rheological perspective,this paper systematically elaborates on the mechanisms through which seasonal temperature shifts,water quality variations,and their synergistic interactions with gangue minerals alter slurry rheological behaviors. The key analyses focus on three aspects:(1) The physicochemical fundamentals whereby temperature regulates particle aggregation/dispersion and reagent diffusion by modifying the viscosity of the continuous phase and Brownian motion of solid particles;(2) The rheological effects of multivalent cations such as Ca
2+ and Mg
2+ in strengthening clay flocculation networks via electric double layer compression and cation bridging mechanisms;(3) The underlying mechanisms linking variations in slurry yield stress and viscosity to inter-particle interactions,selective reagent adsorption,and foam stability. On this basis,the inherent correlations among seasonal variations,slurry rheological behaviors,and flotation performance indicators are clarified. The limitations of current research and prospective research directions are also highlighted,aiming to provide theoretical support for stable and high-efficiency production of mines operating under complex environmental conditions.