Potential for upgrading El-Nakheil oil shale by froth flotation

Abstract

The necessity to satisfy the increasing demand for energy and the progressive depletion of crude oil resources have renewed interest in oil shale as an alternative fuel resource. This paper aims at determining the potential for upgrading El-Nakheil oil shale, Egypt, using froth flotation. Samples were prepared by comminution followed by sieving into different size fractions. The flotation behavior of the material and extent of cleaning were studied with respect to non-ionic and ionic collectors of anionic and cationic types. The organic rich portions of samples could not be rendered sufficiently hydrophobic by the collectors used and the selectivity towards surfactant was very low. © 2013 Estonian Academy Publishers.