How to Improve Fluorite Flotation Beneficiation Effect?

Fluorite ore beneficiation methods mainly include manual selection, gravity separation, and flotation. Manual selection is often used as an auxiliary method. Gravity selection is suitable for metallurgical-grade lump ore production or as a pre-selection operation for the fluorite flotation process. The flotation effect of fluorite can be improved by improving the grinding fineness, the temperature of the slurry, the flotation reagent, the slurry level, the pH value of the slurry, the water quality, and the flotation process.

1. Ensure proper grinding fineness

In fluorite flotation beneficiation, the grinding fineness directly affects the final beneficiation index of fluorite concentrate. It is necessary to determine the appropriate grinding fineness according to the particle size of the useful minerals, so that the useful minerals and the gangue are basically dissociated.

When the flotation particle size is relatively coarse, the flotation selectivity is high, the grade of fluorite concentrate is low, and the recovery rate is high. When the flotation particle size is medium, the fluorite concentrate grade and recovery rate are both high. When the flotation particle size is finer, the fluorite concentrate grade and the recovery rate are both lower. Therefore, in order to obtain the ideal fluorite grade and recovery rate, the beneficiation test should be strictly carried out, and the grinding fineness should be determined according to the nature of the fluorite ore.

2. Correctly choose the type and dosage of flotation reagents

Fluorite flotation reagents are mainly collectors, inhibitors, and pH adjusters. The collectors commonly used in fluorite flotation are mainly fatty acids. Under certain conditions, when the amount of fluorite flotation collector is large, the recovery rate is high, but the grade is low. Generally, the roughing operation will increase the number of collectors and maximize the recovery rate. The inhibitor mainly uses water glass. The pH adjuster mainly uses sodium carbonate to provide a suitable flotation environment for the collector.

3. Maintain proper slurry level

In the fluorite flotation process, the fluorite minerals with better floatability will preferentially reach the top layer of the foam layer. When the slurry level is low, the grade of fluorite concentrate is high, but its recovery rate is low; when the slurry level is high, the recovery rate of fluorite concentrate is higher, but its ore grade is low.

4. Choose a reasonable pH value of the pulp

For different types of fluorite ore, the flotability of gangue minerals is also greatly affected by the pH value, which in turn affects the flotation separation effect of fluorite ore. For example, when oleic acid is used as a collector and the pH is 8-9.5, both fluorite and calcite have better floatability.

5. Optimize the flotation process

When the middle ore returns sequentially, part of the gangue ore will always circulate in the fluorite flotation system and cannot be thrown away, thus affecting the fluorite flotation index. At this time, some middle ores with high gangue mineral content can be selected for centralized re-election, and then the fluorite concentrate will be returned to the roughing, and the tailings will be thrown directly.