Impact energy analysis of turbulent water sprays for continuous centrifugal concentration

A SLon full-scale continuous centrifugal concentrator was used to reconcentrate hematite from a high gradient magnetic separation concentrate to study the effect of impact angle, concentrate mass and drum rotation speed on the impact energy of turbulent water sprays for continuous centrifugal concentration, under conditions of feed volume flow rate around 9 m3/h, feed solid concentration of 25%-35% and reciprocating velocity of water sprays at 0.05 m/s. The results indicate that a minimal critical impact energy is required in the water sprays for achieving continuous concentration of the concentrator; an unfitted impact angle reduces the impact efficiency, and the highest impact efficiency of 0.6416 is found at the mpact angle of 60°; the increase in concentrate mass leads to an increase in impact energy, and the highest impact efficiency is maintained when the concentrate mass varies in the range of 0.44-0.59 kg/s; when the concentrate mass and the pressure of water sprays are kept at around 0.45 kg/s and in the range of 0.4-0.6 MPa respectively, the impact energy increases proportionally with the increase of drum rotation speed.

Use of centrifugal-gravity concentration for rejection of talc and recovery improvement in base-metal flotation

The possibility of using a centrifugal-gravity concentrator to reject Mg-bearing minerals and minimize metal losses in the flotation of base metals was evaluated. Sample characterization, batch scoping tests, pilot-scale tests, and regrind-flotation tests were conducted on a Ni flotation tailings stream. Batch tests revealed that the Mg grade decreased dramatically in the concentrate products. Pilot-scale testing of a continuous centrifugal concentrator（Knelson CVD6） on the flotation tailings revealed that a concentrate with a low mass yield, low Mg content, and high Ni upgrade ratio could be achieved. Under optimum conditions, a concentrate at 6.7% mass yield was obtained with 0.85% Ni grade at 12.9% Ni recovery and with a low Mg distribution（1.7%）. Size partition curves demonstrated that the CVD also operated as a size classifier, enhancing the rejection of talc fines. Overall, the CVD was capable of rejecting Mg-bearing minerals. Moreover, an opportunity exists for the novel use of centrifugal-gravity concentration for scavenging flotation tailings and/or after comminution to minimize amount of Mg-bearing minerals reporting to flotation.

Purification of specularite by centrifugation instead of flotation to produce iron oxide red pigment

This study used specularite, a high-gradient magnetic separation concentrate, as a raw material in reverse flotation.An iron concentrate with a grade of 65.1 wt% and a recovery rate of 75.31% were obtained.A centrifugal concentrator served as the deep purification equipment for the preparation of iron oxide red pigments, and its optimal rotating drum speed, feed concentration, and other conditions were determined.Under optimal conditions, a high-purity iron oxide concentrate with a grade of 69.38 wt% and a recovery rate of 80.89% were obtained and used as a raw material for preparing iron oxide red pigment.Calcining with sulfuric acid produced iron red pigments with different hues.Simultaneously, middlings with a grade of 60.20 wt% and a recovery rate of 17.51% were obtained and could be used in blast furnace ironmaking.High-value utilization of specularite beneficiation products was thus achieved.