Mineral Processing Handbook, Volume 8, Issue 5

Author: Chief Editor: Huang Dali
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-06-01
Features:
Experiments and pilot-scale tests on various types of phosphate rock from places like Hunan Shimen, Jiangxi Chaoyang, Shaanxi Hejiayan, Guizhou Wengfu, and Yunnan Haikou have proposed the following main process flows:
- Direct flotation process using S-BOS as an inhibitor to process siliceous-phosphatic phosphorite ores from Wangji, Chaoyang, and Shimen;
- Roasting-digestion-classification (or supplemented with carbonization flotation) process to process phosphorite ores from Hejiayan, Wengfu, and the upper layer of Wangji ores;
- "Reverse-then-normal" flotation process (first removing carbonate minerals, then separating phosphorus minerals and siliceous materials) to process the lower layer of Haikou phosphorite ores and the upper layer of Wangji ores;
- Acidic medium reverse flotation process using sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid as regulators/inhibitors to process the b-layer ores from Wengfu Yingping and Mofang;
- Selective crushing, screening, scrubbing, desliming, and flotation process to process the upper layer of Haikou phosphorite ores;
- A combined process involving crushing and screening followed by optical mineral processing for coarse particles and flotation for fine particles to process phosphorite ores from Kaoyang Maluping and Hubei Yichang Dingjiahe.
Flotation of Pyrite Ore
Pyrite is the main sulfur resource currently mined and utilized in China, with reserves ranking in the world, but over 95% are medium- and low-grade ores. Alkali flotation processes for single pyrite ores have been adopted in a batch of large and medium-sized flotation plants, and research on the mechanism of action of flotation reagents has been conducted. The research results on cyanide-free flotation of multi-metal sulfide ores from Inner Mongolia's Caiyankou have been transitioning to industrial production. The use of gravity separation to recover vast coal-series pyrite reserves has also garnered widespread attention.
Flotation of Soluble Potash Salt Ores
China's soluble potash salt ores have low potassium grade, limited reserves, and over 97% are concentrated in Qinghai Salt Lakes. Despite the challenging conditions, the development and utilization of soluble potash salt ores and potassium-rich lake brines are actively underway. Small-scale production has been carried out using cationic amine salts as collectors for potassium sylvite ores in Yunnan Simao. A process flow using cold decomposition followed by flotation to extract potassium chloride from seepage halite in salt ponds will be adopted in Qinghai Potash Fertilizer Plants.
Flotation of Boron Ores
China ranks fifth in the world in boron ore reserves, with most of them being difficult-to-process boron-magnesite-iron ores, except for boron-magnesite ores. Based on the characteristics of domestic boron ore resources, research has been conducted on various separation methods. For example, using flotation, magnetic separation, or a combination of both to process boron-magnesite ores; using magnetic separation-gravity separation-classification-chemical joint processing for boron-magnesite-iron ores; using roasting-digestion for carbonate-type boron ores; and using magnetic separation or a combination of magnetic separation-gravity separation for manganese boronite ores, all of which have achieved promising experimental research results.
Separation or processing of other chemical raw material minerals, such as alunite, celestite, and potassium feldspar, has also been studied in laboratory-scale experiments, and corresponding process flows have been proposed. All these scientific research achievements and production practices have accumulated valuable experience and rich data for the development of chemical raw material mineral separation in China, laying a solid technical foundation for revitalizing China's chemical mining industry.