Paraffin wax soap has been used as a collector for oxidized minerals in China for nearly 60 years. Due to its high collection ability, it remains the primary reagent for many mineral flotation processes.

Paraffin wax soap is reddish-brown, in a paste or powder form, easily soluble in water, primarily used as a collector and frothing agent for colored minerals, black minerals, and non-metallic minerals. It is suitable for phosphate ore (volcanic rock, collophane), tungsten ore (sphalerite tungsten, cassiterite), fluorite, spodumene, soft manganese ore, hematite, bauxite, and more. It can also be used as a concrete foaming agent.

Due to its long-chain fatty acids, paraffin soap can form complexes with various mineral metals, significantly enhancing the hydrophobicity of mineral surfaces while also providing foaming properties. Therefore, it can replace anionic collectors in various fatty acid soaps for the flotation process of mineral products.

The primary chemical reaction is RH + O2 → RCOOH.

Part of the process involves: RH + O2 → RCHOHCOOH and RCHO, which means that petroleum wax is oxidized to form fatty acids, a portion of which can generate hydroxy fatty acids, fatty acid ketones, aldehydes, and so on. During the reaction, the long chains of petroleum wax break down and become shorter.

Production Conditions for Paraffin Wax Saponification

Oxidation: Initiates at higher temperatures, with the addition of a certain amount to promote the reaction, followed by blowing air at 150℃ until the acid value reaches a certain level (such as around 70), achieving a yield of approximately 95%.

2. Saponification Separation: The solution of paraffin wax saponified with oxidized paraffin is placed in the saponification kettle and added at 90-95℃. After saponification, dilution and separation are performed, resulting in an unsaponifiable residue (on top), with a yield of approximately 25-30%. The main components are aldehydes, ketones, and unreacted wax.

3. Vapour Separation: The soap slurry is placed into a vaporization furnace (a tubular furnace is also acceptable) at temperatures ranging from 360°C to 400°C. The saponifiable matter is separated every two cycles, yielding an extraction rate of approximately 20%. The primary components are alcohols, resulting in a relatively pure paraffin soap.