Evaluation of VSK separation in the classification of two mineralogically different iron ore fines

With gradually diminishing Fe grade in tandem with the ever-increasing demand for high-grade iron ores,iron ore industries are now focusing on the beneficiation of low-grade iron ore fines,mainly considered waste.Besides,the scarcity of water at many of the mines’sites and the new water conservation policies of the governments have necessitated research on suitable dry beneficiation routes.In this context,an effort has been made to evaluate the efficacy of a dry classification unit,such as the VSK separator,in upgrading the iron values of two low-grade Indian iron ore fines,named Sample 1 and Sample 2.The mineralogical studies,involving scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction,suggest that Sample 1 is a low-grade blue dust sample(51.2wt%Fe)containing hematite and quartz as the major minerals,while Sample 2(53.3wt%Fe)shows the presence of goethite in addition to hematite and quartz.The experiments,carried out using Box-Benkhen statistical design,indicate that blower speed,followed by feed rate,is the most influencing operating parameter in obtaining a good product in the VSK separator.At optimum levels of the operating factors,a fines product with~55wt%Fe at a yield of~40%can be obtained from Sample 1,while Sample 2 can be upgraded to~56wt%Fe at a yield of~85%.The results suggest that the VSK separator can be employed as an efficient intermediate unit operation in a processing circuit to upgrade the iron contents of iron ore fines.

Metallogeny of the Baiyangping Lead-Zinc Polymetallic Ore Concentration Area, Northern Lanping Basin of Yunnan Province, China

The Lanping Basin in the Nujiang-Lancangjiang-Jinshajiang （the Sanjiang） area of northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is an important part of eastern Tethyan metallogenic domain. This basin hosts a number of large unique sediment-hosted Pb-Zn polymetallic deposits or ore districts, such as the Baiyangping ore concentration area which is one of the representative ore district. The Baiyangping ore concentration area can be divided into the east and west ore belts, which were formed in a folded tectogene of the India-Asia continental coUisional setting and was controlled by a large reverse fault. Field observations reveal that the Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary strata were outcropped in the mining area, and that the orebodies are obviously controlled by faults and hosted in sandstone and carbonate rocks. However, the oreforming elements in the east ore belt are mainly Pb-Zn -Sr-Ag, while Pb-Zn-Ag-Cu-Co elements are dominant in the west ore belt. Comparative analysis of the C-O-Sr-S-Pb isotopic compositions suggest that both ore belts had a homogeneous carbon source, and the carbon in hydrothermal calcite is derived from the dissolution of carbonate rock strata; the ore- forming fluids were originated from formation water and precipitate water, which belonged to basin brine fluid system; sulfur was from organic thermal chemical sulfate reduction and biological sulfate reduction; the metal mineralization material was from sedimentary strata and basement, but the difference of the material source of the basement and the strata and the superimposed mineralization of the west ore belt resulted in the difference of metallogenic elements between the eastern and western metallogenic belts. The Pb-Zn mineralization age of both ore belts was contemporary and formed in the same metaliogenetic event. Both thrust formed at the same time and occurred at the Early Oligocene, which is consistent with the age constrained by field geological relationship.

Ultra fine grinding of silver plant tailings of refractory ore using vertical stirred media mill

Ultra fine grinding of the plant tailings of a refractory silver ore was studied using a laboratory type vertical stirred media mill. Preliminary tests confirmed that ultra fine grinding substantially improves the extraction of silver from the tailings in cyanide leaching （i.e. 36% Ag extraction rate from the as-received tailings with d80 of 100 μm, c.f. 84% extraction rate after ultra fine grinding of the tailings with ds0 of 1.2 pro）. In the ultra fine grinding tests, the effects of ball diameter （2-4.5 mm）, stirring speed （200-800 r/m/n） and ball charge ratio （50%-80%） on the fineness of grind （ds0, ~tm） were investigated through a Box-Behnken design. Increasing stirrer speed and ball charge ratio decreased fineness of grind while larger balls resulted in the coarser products. The tests demonstrated that a fineness of grind less than 5 μm can be achieved under suitable conditions. Analysis of stress intensity indicated an optimum range of stress intensity of （0.8-2）× 10^- 3 μm for all power inputs.

Carburization of ferrochromium metals in chromium ore fines containing coal during voluminal reduction by microwave heating

Chromium ore fines containing coal (COFCC) can be rapidly heated by microwave to conduct the voluminal reduction, which lays a foundation of getting sponge ferrochromium powders with a lower content of C. Under the conditions of COFCC with n(O)-n(C) (molar ratio) as 1.00-0.84 and n(SiO2)-n(CaO) as 1.00-0.39, the samples were heated by 10 kW microwave power to reach the given temperatures and held for different times respectively. The results show that the low-C-Cr ferrochromium metal phase in the reduced materials forms before the high-C-Cr ferrochromium metal phase does. With increasing temperature the C content of ferrochromium metals is in a positive correlation with the content of Cr. The C content of ferrochromium metal in reduced materials is 0-10.07% with an average value of 4.68%. With the increase of holding time the Cr content in ferrochromium metals is in a negative correlation with the content of C, while the content of Fe changes in the contrary way. In the microwave field the kinetic conditions of carburization are closely related with the temperature of microwave heating, holding time and carbon fitting ratio.

Strengthening pelletization of manganese ore fines containing high combined water by high pressure roll grinding and optimized temperature elevation system

Pelletization is one of useful processes for the agglomeration of iron ore or concentrates. However, manganese ore fines are mainly agglomerated by sintering due to its high combined water which adversely affects the roasting performance of pellets. In this work, high pressure roll grinding(HPRG) process and optimization of temperature elevation system were investigated to improve the strength of fired manganese ore pellets. It is shown that the manganese ore possesses good ballability after being pretreated by HPRG twice, and good green balls were produced under the conditions of blending 2.0% bentonite in the feed, balling for 7 min at 16.00% moisture. High quality roasted pellets with the compressive strength of 2711 N per pellet were manufactured through preheating at 1050 °C for 10 min and firing at 1335 °C for 15 min by controlling the cracks formation. The fired manganese pellets keep the strength by the solid interconnection of recrystallized pyrolusite grains and the binding of manganite liquid phase which filled the pores and clearance among minerals. The product pellets contain high Mn grade and low impurities, and can be used to smelt ferromanganese, which provides a possible way to use imported manganese ore fines containing high combined water to produce high value ferromanganese.

Comparison of selective flocculation of low grade goethitic iron ore fines using natural and synthetic polymers and a graft copolymer

This study aims to beneficiate low grade goethitic iron ore fines using a selective flocculation process. Selective flocculation studies were conducted using different polymers such as starch amylopectin(AP), poly acrylic acid(PAA), and a graft copolymer(AP-g-PAA). The obtained results were analyzed; they indicate the enhancement of the iron ore grade from 58.49% to 67.52% using AP-g-PAA with a recovery of 95.08%. In addition, 64.45% Fe with a recovery of 88.79% was obtained using AP. Similarly, using PAA, the grade increased to 63.46% Fe with a recovery of 82.10%. The findings are also supported by characterizing concentrates using X-ray diffraction(XRD) and electron probe microanalysis(EPMA) techniques.

Study on experiment and mechanism of thermal dissolved sulfuration of low grade lead-zinc oxide ore in lanpin

The thermal dissolved sulfuration technology is brought forward and performed based on the characteristic of low grade lead-zinc oxide ore in lanpin. Using sulfur as the sulphidizing agent in the experiment, the oxides in the sandstone and ignimbrite are changed into sulfides. The disproportionation reaction of sulfur in a solution is confirmed as 4S＋3H2O=2S^2-＋S2O3^2--＋6H^＋. The dynamics process is studied and the first-order reaction rate equation -1n（1-a）=ktt is obtained. The effects of the reactive products, stirring speed, dosage of sulfuration agent, value of pH and sulphidizing temperature on the sulfuration of oxide ore are investigated. The results indicate that the reactive apparent activation energy is 100.8 kJ/mol and the sulfuration ratio of lead-zinc oxide ore reaches 60% under the conditions of pH 5.9-7.5, the sulfuration temperature of 130 ℃, sulfuration time of 180 min and the stirring speed of 800 r/min.

An effective approach for improving flotation recovery of molybdenite fines from a finely-disseminated molybdenum ore

An effective flotation approach is proposed for improving the recovery of molybdenite fines from a finely-disseminated molybdenum ore. To maximize the flotation recovery of molybdenum, process mineralogy of raw ore, contrast tests, optimization of operation conditions and particle size analysis were systematically investigated. Process mineralogy suggests that in the raw ore, 61.63% of molybdenite particles distribute in the 〈20 pm size fraction, and intergrow with muscovite and pyrite as the contained and disseminated type. Contrast tests indicate that conventional flotation responds to poor collection efficiency for particles less than 25 pm. Oil agglomerate flotation （OAF） process demonstrates an obvious superiority in improving the flotation recovery of molybdenite fines. Furthermore, the flotation results of OAF process reveal that the dosage of transformer oil plays a critical role on the average size of collected mineral particles （d（0）, agglomerates （d^0） and the molybdenum recovery. In addition, industrial tests illustrate that compared with the Mo-S bulk flotation approach, OAF process not only increases Mo recovery and grade of molybdenum concentrate by 22.75% and 17.47% respectively, but also achieves a sulfur concentrate with a superior grade of 38.92%.

Recycle of Wastewater from Lead-Zinc Sulfide Ore Flo-tation Process by Ozone/BAC Technology

Lead-zinc sulphide ore contains lead sulphide (galena), and zinc sulphide (sphalerite). In the first flotation stage, galena is rendered hydrophobic with an organic collector such as xanthate, while sphalerite is kept from floating by depressants, and in the second flotation stage, activator was used to activated zinc flotation. Since the organic regent used are different in the two flotation stage, wastewater from the second zinc flotation stage can’t be directly recycled to the first lead flotation stage. Wastewater from flotation process for concentrating lead-zinc sulphide ore often containing organic compounds such as diethyldithiocarbamate(DDTC), xanthate, terpenic oil(2# oil) and thionocarbamate esters (Z-200), are environmentally hazardous. Their removal from contaminated water and the reuse of the water is one of the main challenges facing lead-zinc sulphide ore processing plants. In this study, synthetic wastewater containing DDTC, xanthate, 2# oil and Z-200 at concentrations ranging from 21 to 42 mg/L was fed into an Ozone/Biological activated carbon (BAC) reactor. Analyses of the effluent indicated a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal over 86.21% and Total organic carbon (TOC) removal over 90.00% were achieved under Hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 4h and O3 feeding concentration of 33.3mg/L. The effluent was further recycled to the lab scale lead concentrating process and no significant difference was found in compare with fresh water. Furthermore, lead-zinc sulphide mineral concentrating process was carried out at lab scale. The produced wastewater was treated by Ozone/BAC reactor at O3 feeding concentration of 16.7mg/L and HRT of 4h. The effluent analysis showed that TOC removal was 74.58%. This effluent was recycled to the lab scale lead-zinc sulphide mineral concentrating process and the recovery of lead was not affected. The results showed that by using Ozone/BAC technology, the lead-zinc sulphide mineral processing wastewater could be recycled.

Ferronickel enrichment by fine particle reduction and magnetic separation from nickel laterite ore

Ferronickel enrichment and extraction from nickel laterite ore were studied through reduction and magnetic separation. Reduction experiments were performed using hydrogen and carbon monoxide as reductants at different temperatures （700-1000℃）. Magnetic separa- tion of the reduced products was conducted using a SLon-100 cycle pulsating magnetic separator （1.2 T）. Composition analysis indicates that the nickel laterite ore contains a total iron content of 22.50wt% and a total nickel content of 1.91wt%. Its mineral composition mainly con- sists of serpentine, hortonolite, and goethite. During the reduction process, the grade of nickel and iron in the products increases with in- creasing reduction temperature. Although a higher temperature is more favorable for reduction, the temperature exceeding 1000℃ results in sintering of the products, preventing magnetic separation. After magnetic separation, the maximum total nickel and iron concentrations are 5.43wt% and 56.86wt%, and the corresponding recovery rates are 84.38% and 53.76%, respectively.

Application of Tectono Geochemical Study in Deep Concealed Ore Body Exploration--As the Huize Super-Large Lead-Zinc Deposit an exemple

1 Geological Background of Minerlization or Geologic Setting The northeast of Yunnan1 Pb-Zn-Ag-Ge polymetallic ore district is an important part of the southwestern margin of the Yangtze block Sichuan-Yunnan-Guizhou

Isotope Geochemistry of the Xinchang -Yongjia Silver (Lead-Zinc)Ore Belt in Eastern Zhejiang Province

In the Xinchang-Yongjia silver (lead-zinc) ore belt, there mainly occur the large to medium-sized Haoshi, Bamao, Dalingkou and Wubu silver deposits or silver-bearing lead-zinc deposits. On the basis of researches on these typical deposits, the mechanism of leaching-drawing mineralization of Mesozoic geothermal water and the related model are put forward in this paper in the light of the time interval between rock and formation ages as well as hydrogen, oxygen, sulphur and lead isotope geochemical characteristics. The major metallogenic process occurred in volcanic rock layers. The ore-forming fluids are geothermal water coming from meteoric water and circulating at shallow layers. This geothermal water leached and absorbed ore-forming materials from its country rocks during its flowing (such metallogenic elements as silver, lead-zinc and sulphur mainly came from consolidated volcanic rocks), leading to the formation of meso - epithermal silver deposits.

Controlling fine particles in flue gas from lead-zinc smelting by plasma technology

With the aim of controlling the problem of fine particles in the flue gas of lead-zinc smelting,a low-temperature plasma-electrocoagulation and electric bag composite dedusting experimental platform was designed by combining electrocoagulation and electric bag composite dust removal technology based on the research of low-temperature plasma technology.Firstly,the properties of fine particles in flue gas from lead-zinc smelting were analyzed,and the effects of input voltage,filter wind speed,dust concentration,and pulse-jet ash-cleaning cycle on the dust collection efficiency of the integrated device were studied.Then,the energy efficiency of the integrated technology was analyzed,and the control mechanism of the fine particles was revealed.The experimental results show that the integrated technology of low-temperature plasma-electrocoagulation and electric bag composite dust removal achieves a fine particle removal efficiency of more than 99.99%and the energy consumption per unit mass of the dust is only 0.008 k W·h/g.The integrated technology has broad application prospects and farreaching practical significance for the lead-zinc smelting industry to achieve ultra-low emission targets for flue gas and achieve energy-saving and emission reduction effects.

The process analysis of fine iron ore reduced in fluidized bed

The processes of fine iron ore reduced in fluidized bed have been reviewed in this paper,the superiorities and limitations of the processes of direct reduction,pre-reduction in fluidized bed have also been comprehensively analysed,which matches with bath smelting furnace or coke bed type furnace.The analysis has also been made on several controversial topics,and the gas use ratio has been point out to be the key of the competition of the reduction process in fluidized bed.The suitability with final reduction furnace is also important to the energy saving in the whole smelting reduction process.

Application of Audio-Magnetotelluric Method for Exploration the Concealed Ore-Bodies in Yuele Lead-Zinc Ore Feild, Daguan County, NE Yunnan Province, China

The results of recent mineral exploration in the Yuele lead-zinc mining area of Daguan County, northeastern Yunnan province, showed that there are much early Paleozoic strata under thick late Paleozoic strata in northeastern Yunnan province, where developed some hidden salt structures (SSs), often with lead-zinc polymetallic mineralization varying degrees along the tension torsional fault (belts) or fracture (joint). The ore-bodies belong to the epigenetic hydrothermal filling vein-type deposit, and the prospecting potential is great. In this area, the superficial mineralization information displayed clear, but the deep mineralization is unknown, so the exploration work is restricted. The audio-megnetotelluric (AMT) surveying is an advantageous method to characterize the size, resistivity and skin depth of the polarizable mineral deposit concealed beneath thick overburden. This paper presents the surveying results using AMT method to evaluate the concealed lead-zinc mineralization in Yuele lead-zinc ore field, Daguancounty, NE Yunnan province, China. After comparing the interpretation result of AMT surveying data with the geological data and the drilling data, it is found that there is some distinct difference in resistivity and polarizable between ore-bodies hosted strata, upper strata and gypsum strata. The results show that AMT method is helpful to identify lead-zinc mineralization under this geological condition.

Multi-scale impact crushing characteristics of polymetallic sulphide ores

The effects of crushing energy, ore hardness and particle size of cassiterite polymetallic sulphide ore and lead-zinc polymetallic sulphide ore on the crushing characteristics during impact crushing were investigated by mineral liberation analyzer(MLA) and drop weight test. The results show that both ores contain pyrrhotite, sphalerite, jamesonite, gangue mica and quartz except cassiterite. Cassiterite is closely associated with sulphide and quartz to form aggregates, which are mixed with each other in the form of intergrowth or symbiotic disseminated fine grains. Cassiterite has a significant impact on ore crushing characteristics. Ore hardness is negatively correlated with the product of crushing parameters of A and b, i.e. A×b, the effect of crushing energy on crushing fineness is related to crushing parameters A and b, and the influence degree increases with the increase of A. The influence degree increases with the increase of b when crushing energy ECS is less than 1 kW·h/t, and the influence degree decreases with the increase of b when crushing energy ECS is greater than 1 kW·h/t. The impact of crushing energy on crushing fineness is greater than that of ore particle size when the crushing energy is lower;on the contrary, the impact of ore particle size on crushing fineness is greater than that of crushing energy when crushing energy is higher.

An experimental study on metal precipitation driven by fluid mixing: implications for genesis of carbonate-hosted lead–zinc ore deposits

A type of carbonate-hosted lead–zinc(Pb–Zn)ore deposits, known as Mississippi Valley Type(MVT)deposits, constitutes an important category of lead–zinc ore deposits. Previous studies proposed a fluid-mixing model to account for metal precipitation mechanism of the MVT ore deposits, in which fluids with metal-chloride complexes happen to mix with fluids with reduced sulfur, producing metal sulfide deposition. In this hypothesis, however, the detailed chemical kinetic process of mixing reactions, and especially the controlling factors on the metal precipitation are not yet clearly stated. In this paper, a series of mixing experiments under ambient temperature and pressure conditions were conducted to simulate the fluid mixing process, by titrating the metal-chloride solutions, doping withor without dolomite, and using NaHS solution. Experimental results, combined with the thermodynamic calculations, suggest that H_2S, rather than HS^-or S^(2-),dominated the reactions of Pb and/or Zn precipitation during the fluid mixing process, in which metal precipitation was influenced by the stability of metal complexes and the pH. Given the constant concentrations of metal and total S in fluids, the pH was a primary factor controlling the Pb and/or Zn metal precipitation. This is because neutralizing or neutralized processes for the ore-forming fluids can cause instabilities of Pb and/or Zn chloride complexes and re-distribution of sulfur species, and thus can facilitate the hydrolysis of Pb and Zn ions and precipitation of sulfides. Therefore, a weakly acidic to neutral fluid environment is most favorable for the precipitation of Pb and Zn sulfides associated with the carbonate-hosted Pb–Zn deposits.

A Preliminary Study on Fluid Inclusions and Mineralization of Xitieshan Sedimentary-Exhalative (SEDEX) Lead-Zinc Deposit

The Xitieshan lead-zinc deposit is located at the northern margin of the Qaidam Basin, Qinghai Province, China, and had developed a complete marine sedimentary-exhalative system. Our preliminary study of ore-forming fluids shows that fluid inclusions in quartz from altered stockwork rocks that represent the pipe facies have a wide range of temperature and salinity. The intense fluid activities are characteristics of the pipe facies of the exhalative system. Fluid inclusions in carbonates near the unstratified ore bodies hosted in the thick-bedded marble which represents vent-proximal facies are large in size and have moderate to high temperatures. They represent unerupted sub-seafloor fluid activity. Fluids in altered stockwork rocks and carbonates have similar H20-NaCI-CO2 system, both belonging to the sedimentary-exhalative system. The fluids migrate from the pipe facies to the unstratified ore bodies. Boiling of the fluids causes the separation of CO2 vapor and liquid H2O. When the fluids migrate into the unconsolidated thick-bedded marble, the escape of CO2, decreasing temperature and pressure as well as some involvement of seawater into the fluids result in the unmixing of fluids with high and low salinity and deposition of ore-forming materials. The two unmixed fluids were trapped in unconsolidated carbonates and the ore-forming materials were deposited in the unconsolidated carbonates to form the sedimentary-exhalative type unstratified ore bodies. The oreforming temperature of unstratified ore bodies is up to high temperature indicating that there is a huge ore-forming potential in its deep.

The Processing Mineralogy for Lead and Zinc Oxide Ore in Sichuan

Using variety of modern testing methods, the processing mineralogical characteristics for a lead and zinc oxide ore in Sichuan were studied systematically. The chemical analysis result shows that the lead and zinc oxide content exceeding the minimum industrial grade and iron ore, total iron content reaches a minimum industrial grade and associated with gold and silver; The mineralogical analysis result shows that lead and zinc mineral composition and configuration are very complexity. The zinc minerals and zinciferous minerals are sphalerite, hemimorphite, Smithsonite, Hydrozincite, zinc chlorite, limonite, zinc dolomite and zincocalcite; lead minerals and plumbiferous minerals are mainly galena, cerussite, anglesite, limonite and Coronadite; The minerals disseminated grain size are very fine and mineral dissemination characteristics are very complex ; expected theoretical recoveries for lead and zinc were 72% and 67% respectively. The results of this study provide basic data and theoretical basis for ore dressing.