Removal of Silica and Alumina as Impurities from Low-Grade Iron Ore Using Wet High-Intensity Magnetic Separation and Reverse Flotation

This study investigates the removal of silica and alumina as impurities from hematite based low-grade iron ore containing 34.18 mass% iron, 31.10 mass% of silica and 7.65 mass% alumina. Wet high-intensity magnetic separation (WHIMS) and reverse flotation (RF) were investigated. In WHIMS process, 93.08% of iron was recovered with a grade of 53.22 mass% at an optimum magnetic density of 10,000 mT, and pulp density of 2% used the L-4 machine. In RF experiments, optimal results showed 95.95% of iron recovered with 51.64 mass% grade using 1 kg/t of 1% alkaline starch as iron depressant and 1:1 mixture ratio of 0.75 kg/t DAA and NaOL as silica and alumina collectors. The designed multi-stage process involving feeding the concentrate from WHIMS into RF process reduced silica to 2.02 mass%, alumina to 1.04 mass% whilst recovering 81.94% of the iron with 67.27 mass% grade. As a result of this research, a process to produce high quality iron concentrate from hematite based low-grade iron ore with high iron recovery rate was constructed.

Innovative pre-concentration technology for recovering ultrafine ilmenite using superconducting high gradient magnetic separator

To achieve the utilization of the abandoned ultrafine ilmenite(-20 μm) produced in the titanium magnetite processing plant in Panzhihua,the superconducting high-gradient magnetic separation(SMS) technology was proposed in this study.After optimizing the conditions of magnetic intensity,feeding and pulsation,an SMS concentrate with TiO_(2) grade of 16.03% and TiO_(2) recovery of 66.39% was obtained through one roughing-one cleaning pre-concentration flowsheet.The specific magnetic force and magnetic force were calculated and analysed to illustrate the pre-concentration mechanism,and the results revealed that the combination of high magnetic field and strong pulsating resulted in the effective preconcentration of the ultrafine ilmenite in the SMS process.In addition,the magnetic force analysis indicated that the high magnetic intensity and high magnetic gradient are the key factors of the SMS technology.Furthermore,the EDS-Mapping detection certified that the ultrafine ilmenite was concentrated from the gangue minerals using SMS technology.

Recovery of iron from high phosphorus oolitic iron ore using coal-based reduction followed by magnetic separation

Oolitic iron ore is one of the most important iron resources. This paper reports the recovery of iron from high phosphorus oolitic iron ore using coal-based reduction and magnetic separation. The influences of reduction temperature, reduction time, C/O mole ratio, and CaO content on the metallization degree and iron recovery were investigated in detail. Experimental results show that reduced products with the metallization degree of 95.82% could be produced under the optimal conditions （i.e., reduction temperature, 1250℃; reduction time, 50 min; C/O mole ratio, 2.0; and CaO content, 10wt%）. The magnetic concentrate containing 89.63wt% Fe with the iron recovery of 96.21% was obtained. According to the mineralogical and morphologic analysis, the iron minerals had been reduced and iron was mainly enriched into the metallic iron phase embedded in the slag matrix in the form of spherical particles. Apatite was also reduced to phosphorus, which partially migrated into the metallic iron phase.

Preparation of magnetically separable mesoporous activated carbons from brown coal with Fe3O4

Magnetically separable mesoporous activated carbon was prepared from brown coal in the presence of Fe3O4 as a bi-functional additive.Magnetic activated carbon(MAC)was characterized by lowtemperature nitrogen adsorption,scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)and vibrating sample magnetometry(VSM).The evolution behaviors and transition mechanism of Fe3O4 during the preparation of MAC were investigated.The results show that prepared MAC with 6 wt%Fe3O4 addition having a specific surface area and mesopore ratio of 370 m^2·g^-1 and 55.7%,which meet the requirements of adsorption application and magnetic recovery.Highly dispersed iron-containing aggregates with the size of 0.1 lm in the MAC were observed.During the preparation of MAC,Fe3O4 could enhance the escape of volatiles during the carbonization.Fe3O4 could also accelerate burning off the carbon wall during activation,which leads to enlarging micropore size,then resulting in the generation of mesopore and macropore.As a result,a part of Fe3O4 converted into FeO,FeOOH,a-Fe,c-Fe,Fe2SiO4 and compound of Aluminum-iron-silicon.The prepared activated carbon,which was magnetized by both of residual Fe3O4,reduced a-Fe and c-Fe,can be easily separated from the original solution by external magnetic field.

Metalizing reduction and magnetic separation of vanadium titano-magnetite based on hot briquetting

To achieve high efficiency utilization of Panzhihua vanadium titano-magnetite, a new process of metalizing reduction and magnetic separation based on hot briquetting is proposed, and factors that affect the cold strength of the hot-briquetting products and the efficiency of reduction and magnetic separation are successively investigated through laboratory experiments. The relevant mechanisms are elucidated on the basis of microstructural observations. Experimental results show that the optimal process parameters for hot briquetting include a hot briquetting temperature of 475°C, a carbon ratio of 1.2, ore and coal particle sizes of less than 74 μm. Additionally, with respect to metalizing reduction and magnetic separation, the rational parameters include a magnetic field intensity of 50 mT, a reduction temperature of 1350°C, a reduction time of 60 min, and a carbon ratio of 1.2. Under these above conditions, the crushing strength of the hot-briquetting agglomerates is 1480 N, and the recovery ratios of iron, vanadium, and titanium are as high as 91.19%, 61.82%, and 85.31%, respectively. The new process of metalizing reduction and magnetic separation based on hot briquetting demonstrates the evident technological advantages of high efficiency separation of iron from other valuable elements in the vanadium titano-magnetite.

Effect of reverse flotation on magnetic separation concentrates

Reverse flotation studies on magnetite samples have revealed that the use of starch as a depressant of Fe-oxides has a hydrophilic effect on the surface of Fe-bearing silicates and significantly decreases Fe in the silica-rich stream when used in combination with an amine （Lilaflot D817M）. In this study, the effect of reverse flotation on the optimization of products obtained fi＇om magnetic separation was inves- tigated. Two different magnetic samples, zones 1 and 2, were milled to 〈75 btm and then subjected to low intensity magnetic separation （LIMS）. The LIMS test conducted on the 〈75 ~m shown an upgrade of 46.40wt% Fe, 28.40wt% SiO2 and 2.61wt% MnO for zone 1 and 47.60wt% Fe, 29.17wt% SiO2 and 0.50wt% MnO for zone 2. Further milling of the ore to 〈25 ~tm resulted in a higher magnetic-rich product after magnetic separation. Reverse flotation tests were conducted on the agitated magnetic concentrate feed, and the result shows a significant upgrade of Fe compared to that obtained from the non-agitated feed. Iron concentrations greater than 69%, and SiO2 concentrations less than 2% with overall magnetite recoveries greater than 67% and 71% were obtained for zones 1 and 2, respectively.

Effect of desliming on the magnetic separation of low-grade ferruginous manganese ore

In the present investigation, magnetic separation studies using an induced roll magnetic separator were conducted to beneficiate low-grade ferruginous manganese ore. The feed ore was assayed to contain 22.4% Mn and 35.9% SiO2, with a manganese-to-iron mass ratio （Mn：Fe ratio） of 1.6. This ore was characterized in detail using different techniques, including quantitative evaluation of minerals by scan- ning electron microscopy, which revealed that the ore is extremely siliceous in nature and that the associated gangue minerals are more or less evenly distributed in almost all of the size fractions in major proportion. Magnetic separation studies were conducted on both the as-received ore fines and the classified fines to enrich their manganese content and Mn：Fe ratio. The results indicated that the efficiency of separation for deslimed fines was better than that for the treated unclassified bulk sample. On the basis of these results, we proposed a proc- ess flow sheet for the beneficiation of low-grade manganese ore fines using a Floatex density separator as a pre-concentrator followed by two-stage magnetic separation. The overall recovery of manganese in the final product from the proposed flow sheet is 44.7% with an assay value of 45.8% and the Mn：Fe ratio of 3.1.

Preparation of ferronickel from nickel laterite via coal-based reduction followed by magnetic separation

The sticking phenomenon between molten slag and refractory is one of the crucial problems when preparing ferronickel from laterite ore using rotary hearth fulnace or rotary kiln processes. This study aims to ameliorate sticking problems by using silicon dioxide （SiO2） to adjust the melting degree of file briquette during reduction roasting. Thermodynamic analysis indicates that the melting temperature of the slag gradually increases with an increase in the SiO2 proportion （SiO2/（SiO2 ＋ A1203 ＋ MgO） mass ratio）. Experimental validations also prove that the briquette retains its original shape when the SiO2 proportion is greater than 75wt%, and sticking problems axe avoided during reduction. A ferronickel product with 8.33wt% Ni and 84.71wt% Fe was prepared via reductive roasting at 1500~C for 90 min with a SiO2 proportion of 75wt% and a C/O molar ratio of 1.0 followed by dry magnetic separation; the corresponding recoveries of Ni and Fe reached 75.70% and 77.97%, respectively. The micro stxucture and phase txmlsformation of reduced briquette reveals that the aggregation and growth of ferroinckel particles were not significantly affected after adding SiO2 to the reduction process.

Incorporating the magnetic alignment of GO composites into Pebax matrix for gas separation

The mixed matrix membranes(MMMs) were developed by incorporating graphite oxide(GO) flakes functionalized with iron oxide(Fe_3O_4) into Pebax matrix. The Pebax/Fe_3O_4–GO MMMs were used to separate CO_2/CH_4 and CO_2/N_2 gas mixture. The results showed that the MMMs with magnetic alignment presented the better gas separation performance than that of random arrangement of Pebax/Fe_3O_4–GO mixed matrix membranes. The reason was that the Fe_3O_4–GO flakes arranged magnetically in the membrane played a multiple role in improving the performance of MMMs. Firstly, under the action of the magnetic field,the magnetic alignment of Fe_3O_4–GO flakes in Pebax matrix constructed the shorter transfer path for gas molecule, increasing the CO_2 permeability. Secondly, the hydroxyl groups in GO flakes and the presence of Fe_3O_4 have stronger binding force for water, improving the CO_2 solubility selectivity. Thirdly, the better interaction between the magnetic alignment of GO composites and polymer matrix, reduced the interface defects. Especially, the optimum gas separation performance was obtained at the Fe_3O_4–GO flakes content of 3 wt% in Pebax matrix at vertical arrangement with selectivity of 47 and 75 for CO_2/CH_4 and CO_2/N_2, respectively, and CO_2 permeability of 538 Barrer at 0.2 MPa and room temperature.

Carbothermic reduction characteristics of ludwigite and boron–iron magnetic separation

Ludwigite is a kind of complex iron ore containing boron, iron, and magnesium, and it is the most promising boron resource in China. Selective reduction of iron oxide is the key step for the comprehensive utilization of ludwigite. In the present work, the reduction mechanism of ludwigite was investigated. The thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry analysis and isothermal reduction of ludwigite/coal composite pellet were performed. Ludwigite yielded a lower reduction starting temperature and a higher final reduction degree compared with the traditional iron concentrates. Higher specific surface area and more fine cracks might be the main reasons for the better reducibility of ludwigite. Reducing temperature highly affected the reaction fraction and microstructure of the reduced pellets, which are closely related to the separation degree of boron and iron. Increasing reducing temperature benefited the boron and iron magnetic separation. Optimum magnetic separation results could be obtained when the pellet was reduced at 1300°C. The separated boron-rich non-magnetic concentrate presented poor crystalline structure, and its extraction efficiency for boron reached 64.3%. The obtained experimental results can provide reference for the determination of the comprehensive utilization flow sheet of ludwigite.

Pretreatment study on chloridizing segregation and magnetic separation of low-grade nickel laterites

The chloridizing segregation and magnetic separation of low-grade nickel laterites from Yunnan province of China was investigated.The nickel laterites were characterized by microscopic investigations,using X-ray diffractometry(XRD)and energy dispersive spectrometry(EDS)techniques.The pellets,which were prepared with magnesium chloride and coke as chloride agent and reductant respectively,were heated to a high temperature,and the pellets after cooling were crushed for magnetic separation.A series of experiments were conducted to examine the effect of chlorinating agent dosage,reductant dosage,chloridizing temperature and chloridizing time on enrichment grade of Ni and Co.The results indicate that the four factors have significant effects on the extractions of Ni and Co.The optimum conditions are as follows:the amounts of magnesium chloride and coke are 6%and 2%,respectively,chloridizing temperature is 1 253 K,and chloridizing time is 90 min.Under the conditions,extractions of Ni and Co reach 91.5%and 82.3%,respectively.

Magnetic separation of pentlandite from serpentine by selective magnetic coating

In this study, pentlandite was selectively separated from serpentine using magnetic coating technology by adjusting and optimizing pH, stirring speeds, magnetic field intensities, and dosages of sodium hexametaphosphate(SHMP) and sodium oleate(SO). A magnetic concentrate with Ni grade of 20.8% and Ni recovery of 80.5% was attained under the optimized operating conditions. Considering the above, the adsorption behaviors of SHMP and SO and the surface properties of minerals after the magnetic coating were studied by Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction(XRD), and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The results show that magnetite was preferentially coated on the pentlandite surfaces and sparingly coated on the serpentine surfaces in the presence of SHMP and SO. Furthermore, calculations by Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek(DLVO) theory indicate that the preferential adsorption of magnetite on the pentlandite surfaces is due to the presence of a hydrophobic interaction between the magnetite and pentlandite, which is much stronger than the interaction between magnetite and serpentine.

Primary beneficiation of tantalite using magnetic separation and acid leaching

Primary beneficiation was successfully performed prior to dissolution of manganotantalite （sample A） and ferrotantalite （sample C） samples obtained from two different mines in the Naquissupa area, Mozambique. Magnetic separation removed the majority of iron and titanium, whereas H2SO4 leaching removed a large portion of thorium and uranium in these samples. Analytical results indicated that 64.14wt% and 72.04wt% of the total Fe and Ti, respectively, and -2wt% each of Nb205 and Ta205 were removed from sample C （ferrotantalite） using the magnetic separation method, whereas only 9.64wt% and 8.66wt% of total Fe203 and TiO2, respectively, and -2wt% each of NbEOs and Ta2O5 were removed from sample A （manganotantalite）. A temperature of 50℃ and a leaching time of 3 h in the presence of concentrated HESOa were observed to be the most appropriate leaching conditions for removal of radioactive elements from the tantalite ores. The results obtained for sample A under these conditions indicated that 64.14wt% U3O8 and 60.77wt% ThO2 were leached into the acidic solution, along with 4.45wt% and 0.99wt% of Nb2O5 and Ta2O5, respectively.

Recovery of iron from copper tailings via low-temperature direct reduction and magnetic separation: process optimization and mineralogical study

Currently, the majority of copper tailings are not effectively developed. Worldwide, large amounts of copper tailings generated from copper production are continuously dumped, posing a potential environmental threat. Herein, the recovery of iron from copper tailings via low-temperature direct reduction and magnetic separation was conducted; process optimization was carried out, and the corresponding mineralogy was investigated. The reduction time, reduction temperature, reducing agent (coal), calcium chloride additive, grinding time, and magnetic field intensity were examined for process optimization. Mineralogical analyses of the sample, reduced pellets, and magnetic concentrate under various conditions were performed by X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry to elucidate the iron reduction and growth mechanisms. The results indicated that the optimum parameters of iron recovery include a reduction temperature of 1150A degrees C, a reduction time of 120 min, a coal dosage of 25%, a calcium chloride dosage of 2.5%, a magnetic field intensity of 100 mT, and a grinding time of 1 min. Under these conditions, the iron grade in the magnetic concentrate was greater than 90%, with an iron recovery ratio greater than 95%.

Microwave-assisted reduction roasting–magnetic separation studies of two mineralogically different low-grade iron ores

The microwave-assisted reduction behaviours of two low-grade iron ores having a similar Fe content of 49wt%but distinctly different mineralogical and liberation characteristics were studied.Their performances in terms of the iron grade and recovery as obtained from statistically designed microwave(MW)roasting followed by low-intensity magnetic separation(LIMS)experiments were compared.At respective optimum conditions,the titano-magnetite ore(O1)could yield an iron concentrate of 62.57%Fe grade and 60.01%Fe recovery,while the goethitic ore(O2)could be upgraded to a concentrate of 64.4%Fe grade and 33.3%Fe recovery.Compared with the goethitic ore,the titanomagnetite ore responded better to MW heating.The characterization studies of the feed and roasted products obtained at different power and time conditions using X-ray diffraction,optical microscopy,vibrating-sample magnetometry,and electron-probe microanalysis explain the sequential reduction in the iron oxide phases.Finally,taking advantage of the MW absorbing character of the titano-magnetite ore,a blend of the same with the goethite-rich ore at a weight ratio of 60:40(O2:O1)was subjected to MW roasting that resulted in a concentrate of 61.57%Fe grade with a Fe recovery of 64.47%.

Testing the robustness of particle-based separation models for the magnetic separation of a complex skarn ore

Physical separation processes are best understood in terms of the behaviour of individual ore particles.Yet,while different empirical particle-based separation modelling approaches have been developed,their predictive performance has never been tested under variable process conditions.Here,we investigated the predictive performance of a state-of-the-art particle-based separation model under variable feed composition for a laboratory-scale magnetic separation of a skarn ore.Two scenarios were investigated:one in which the mass flow of the different processing streams could be measured and one in which it had to be estimated from data.In both scenarios,the predictive models were sufficiently general to predict the process outcomes of new samples of variable composition.Nevertheless,the scenario in which mass flow could be measured was4%more precise in predicting mass balances.The process behaviour of minerals present at concentrations above 0.1%by weight could be accurately predicted.Our findings indicate the potential use of this method to minimize the costs of metallurgical testwork while providing in-depth understanding of the recovery behaviour of individual ore particles.Moreover,the method may be used to establish powerful tools to forecast mineral recoveries for partly new ore types at a running mining operation.

Evaluation of Chromite Recovery from Shaking Table Tailings by Magnetic Separation Method

This study aimed to evaluate the chromite recovery from shaking table tailings of Forumad plant by a dry high-intensity magnetic separation. The average feed grade of chromium trioxide (Cr2O3) was 7.62% by XRF. Also, different mineral phases were determined by XRD, identifying the presence of Chrysotile, Augite, Albite, Chlorite and Chromite. Although the Forumad plant usually applies gravity methods utilizing the specific gravity difference between chromite and other gangue minerals, this study applied magnetic separation utilizing the paramagnetic nature of chromite crystals to recover chromite from tailings. 27 tests for 3 factors in 3 levels designed by the Taguchi method with design expert 12 software to determine the optimum conditions for the grade and recovery. Finally, the best condition was identified at 10,000 gauss (or 1 tesla) in the magnetic field intensity, 1 kg/min feeding rate, and 40 rpm drum rotating speed which produced a concentrate with 34.65% Cr2O3 and 59.42% recovery.

Recovery of Ferric Oxide from Bayer Red Mud by Reduction Roasting-Magnetic Separation Process

A great amount of red mud generated from alumina production by Bayer process was considered as a low-grade iron ore with a grade of 5wt% to 30wt% iron.We adopted the reduction roastingmagnetic separation process to recover ferric oxide from red mud.The red mud samples were processed by reduction roasting,grinding and magnetic separating respectively.The effects of different parameters on the recovery rate of iron were studied in detail.The optimum techqicalparameters were proposed with 700 ℃roasting for 20 min,as 50wt% carbon and 4wt% additive were added.The experimentalresults indicated that the iron recovery and the grade of totaliron were 91% and 60%,respectively.A novelprocess is applicable to recover ferric oxide from the red mud waste fines.

Novel Visible Light Driven Magnetically Separable Graphene/BiOBr Composite Photocatalysts with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

Novel visible light magnetically separable graphene-based BiOBr composite photocatalysts were prepared for the first time. The structures, morphologies and optical properties were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and ultravioletvisible spectroscopy, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of the resulting samples was evaluated by degradation of tetracycline under visible light irradiation. An appropriate amount of introduced graphene can significantly enhance the photocatalytic activities. The enhanced activities were mainly attributed to the enhanced light absorption and the interfacial transfer of electrons. The corresponding photocatalytic mechanism was proposed based on the results.