A mineral separation method for separating and enriching tantalum, niobium and zinnwaldite from feldspar tailings

Abstract

A mineral separation method for separating and enriching tantalum, niobium and zinnwaldite from feldspar tailings, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Predispersion; Step 2: Vibration classification; Step 3: Strong dispersion; Step 4: Magnetic rough separation; Step 5: Magnetic cleaning; Step 6: Strong dispersion; Step 7: Flotation rough separation; Step 8: Flotation cleaning; Step 9: First pressure filtration; Step 10: Magnetic scavenging; Step 11: Second pressure filtration; Step 12: Flotation scavenging. Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: (1) Using a high-speed shearing machine for dispersion can greatly improve the dispersion effect and is beneficial to the subsequent separation of various minerals; Using a high-intensity slurry magnetic separator can effectively remove slime, which is beneficial to the further flotation separation of tantalum and niobium minerals from zinnwaldite and improve the recovery rate; Using a flotation column for the separation of tantalum and niobium ore and zinnwaldite has a large processing capacity, a high recovery rate and environmental neutrality, which is beneficial to environmental protection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ore dressing, and in particular to the secondary comprehensive recovery of tantalum-niobium ore and lepidolite in the fine mud discarded in the primary ore dressing of lepidolite ore, and especially to an ore dressing method for separating and enriching tantalum-niobium and lepidolite from feldspar tailings. Background Art

[0002] When feldspar contains extremely finely disseminated tantalum-niobium minerals and lepidolite, generally, a gravity separation process is first used to recover the tantalum-niobium minerals therein. The grade of Ta2O5 in the rough ore is relatively low, less than 1.5%, and the recovery rate is less than 30%. A large amount of tantalum-niobium minerals are lost in the tailings. All the gravity separation tailings containing a large amount of ultra-fine slime are returned to the flotation process. The recovery rate of using a flotation cell to recover lepidolite is low, and the flotation tailings still contain a large amount of tantalum-niobium minerals and lepidolite, resulting in serious waste of minerals. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art, the present invention provides a combined ore dressing process of dispersion, magnetic separation and flotation for effectively separating and enriching tantalum-niobium and lepidolite from feldspar tailings.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problems is as follows:

[0005] An ore dressing method for separating and enriching tantalum-niobium and lepidolite from feldspar tailings, comprising the following steps:

[0006] Step 1: Pre-dispersion;

[0007] Feed the feldspar tailings into a pulp conditioner, add water to adjust the pulp concentration to 20-30%, and relieve the agglomeration state of the tailings to obtain a thick pulp;

[0008] Step 2: Vibrating classification;

[0009] Coarsely screen the thick pulp by using a vibrating screen, remove the particles with a particle size greater than 30 mesh, dilute the underflow of the ore screen with water to a pulp concentration of 8-12%, and add a dispersant, sodium hexametaphosphate, to obtain a dilute pulp;

[0010] Step 3: Strong dispersion;

[0011] According to the pulp concentration of the dilute pulp, add a dispersant to the dilute pulp, and perform strong dispersion by using a high-shear disperser for 20-30 minutes to obtain a highly dispersed dilute pulp; add a dispersant to the highly dispersed dilute pulp to achieve a highly dispersed effect;

[0012] Step 4: Magnetic roughing;

[0013] Add the highly dispersed dilute ore pulp added with a dispersant to a high magnetic field intensity ceramic pulp ore separator for magnetic rough separation; the magnetic field intensity of the high magnetic field intensity ceramic pulp ore separator is 13,000 gauss, and its medium structure is a sandwich-type medium mesh stack;

[0014] Step 5: Magnetic cleaning;

[0015] Add weakly magnetic minerals to a high magnetic field intensity ceramic pulp ore separator for magnetic cleaning; the magnetic field intensity of the high magnetic field intensity ceramic pulp ore separator is 13,000 gauss, and its medium structure is a sandwich-type medium mesh stack. After cleaning, rough concentrate and bottom underflow are obtained;

[0016] Step 6: Strong dispersion;

[0017] Adjust the pulp concentration of the rough concentrate to 15 - 25% through thickening, add a dispersant, and use a high-shear disperser for high-shear dispersion again to obtain the dispersed rough concentrate;

[0018] Step 7: Float rough separation;

[0019] Conduct float rough separation on the dispersed rough concentrate. The float rough separation adopts two-stage fine mineral flotation columns, and the top foam of the float rough separation enters Step 8;

[0020] Step 8: Float cleaning;

[0021] Conduct float cleaning on the top foam of the float rough separation by adopting two-stage fine mineral flotation columns. The top foam of the float cleaning enters Step 9, and the bottom underflow of the float cleaning enters Step 12;

[0022] Step 9: First pressure filtration;

[0023] The top foam in Step 8 during float cleaning, after going through float rough separation in Step 7, float cleaning in Step 8, and flotation scavenging in Step 12, obtains lepidolite concentrate;

[0024] Step 10: Magnetic scavenging;

[0025] Conduct magnetic scavenging on the bottom underflow of magnetic rough separation in Step 4 and magnetic cleaning in Step 5. After the high-dispersion dilute ore pulp goes through magnetic rough separation in Step 4, magnetic cleaning in Step 5, and magnetic scavenging in Step 10, deslimed rough concentrate is obtained; the deslimed rough concentrate is enriched in tantalum-niobium ore and iron-lithium mica; the magnetic substances from magnetic scavenging are recycled back to strong dispersion in Step 3, and the deslimed rough concentrate is sent to Step 11;

[0026] Step 11: Second pressure filtration;

[0027] The underflow deslimed rough concentrate in Step 10 is thickened and pressure filtered to obtain feldspar concentrate;

[0028] Step 12: Flotation scavenging;

[0029] The underflow at the bottom of the roughing flotation of tantalum and niobium is subjected to scavenging flotation, and the underflow obtains tantalum and niobium concentrates, and the foam at the top is returned to Step 7, roughing flotation.

[0030] (1) Use a high-speed shearing machine for dispersion, which greatly improves the dispersion effect and is conducive to the subsequent separation of various minerals; use a high-intensity slurry magnetic separator to effectively remove slime, which is conducive to the further flotation separation of subsequent tantalum and niobium minerals from iron-lithium lepidolite and improves the recovery rate; use a flotation column for the separation of tantalum and niobium ores and iron-lithium mica, with a large processing capacity, high recovery rate, and neutral environment, which is conducive to environmental protection.

[0031] (2) When the Ta2O5 content in the feldspar tailings is less than or equal to 0.005%, the final tantalum concentrate grade of Ta2O5 is 10%, and the Ta2O5 recovery rate reaches more than 50%.

[0032] (3) When the Li2O content in the feldspar tailings is 0.2 - 0.5%, the final lithium concentrate grade of Li2O is greater than 2.5%, and the recovery rate is greater than 60%. The column flotation environment is neutral, and no acid or alkali needs to be added, which is conducive to environmental protection.

[0033] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description, become apparent in part from the following description, or be learned through the practice of the present invention. Description of the Drawings

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0035] Figure 1 It is the process flow diagram of the ore separation of the present invention. Detailed Embodiments

[0036] The following will describe in more detail the exemplary embodiments disclosed by the present invention with reference to the drawings. These embodiments are for the purpose of enabling a more thorough understanding of the present invention and being able to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention should not be limited by the embodiments described herein.

[0037] An ore separation method for separating and enriching tantalum, niobium and iron-lithium mica from feldspar tailings includes the following steps:

[0038] Step 1: Pre-dispersion;

[0039] Feed feldspar tailings into a pulp conditioner, add water to adjust the pulp concentration to 20 - 30%, and break up the agglomeration of the tailings to obtain thick pulp;

[0040] Step 2: Vibrating classification;

[0041] Coarsely screen the thick pulp using a vibrating screen, remove particles larger than 30 mesh, dilute the underflow of the screen with water to a pulp concentration of 8 - 12%, and add the dispersant sodium hexametaphosphate to obtain dilute pulp;

[0042] Step 3: Strong dispersion;

[0043] According to the pulp concentration of the dilute pulp, add a dispersant to the dilute pulp, and perform strong dispersion using a high - shear disperser for 20 - 30 minutes to obtain highly dispersed dilute pulp; add a dispersant to the highly dispersed dilute pulp to achieve a high - dispersion effect;

[0044] Step 4: Rough magnetic separation;

[0045] Add the highly dispersed dilute pulp with the dispersant added to a high - magnetic - field - strength ceramic pulp separator for rough magnetic separation; the magnetic field strength of the high - magnetic - field - strength ceramic pulp separator is 13000 Gauss, and its medium structure is a sandwich - type medium mesh stack;

[0046] Step 5: Fine magnetic separation;

[0047] Add weakly magnetic minerals to a high - magnetic - field - strength ceramic pulp separator for fine magnetic separation; the magnetic field strength of the high - magnetic - field - strength ceramic pulp separator is 13000 Gauss, and its medium structure is a sandwich - type medium mesh stack. After fine magnetic separation, obtain rough concentrate and bottom underflow;

[0048] Step 6: Strong dispersion;

[0049] Adjust the pulp concentration of the rough concentrate to 15 - 25% through thickening, add a dispersant, and perform high - shear dispersion again using a high - shear disperser to obtain the dispersed rough concentrate;

[0050] Step 7: Rough flotation;

[0051] Perform rough flotation on the dispersed rough concentrate. The rough flotation adopts two - stage fine - particle flotation columns, and the top foam of the rough flotation enters Step 8;

[0052] Step 9: First pressure filtration;

[0053] Perform fine flotation on the top foam of the rough flotation using two - stage fine - particle flotation columns. The top foam of the fine flotation enters Step 9, and the bottom underflow of the fine flotation enters Step 12;

[0054] Step 9: First pressure filtration;

[0055] The top foam of the floating concentrate in Step 8, after the rough floating in Step 7, the concentrate floating in Step 8, and the scavenging flotation in Step 12, yields lepidolite concentrate;

[0056] Step 10: Magnetic scavenging;

[0057] The bottom underflow of the magnetic roughing in Step 4 and the magnetic concentration in Step 5 is subjected to magnetic scavenging. After the highly dispersed dilute pulp undergoes magnetic roughing in Step 4, magnetic concentration in Step 5, and magnetic scavenging in Step 10, deslimed rough concentrate is obtained; the deslimed rough concentrate is enriched with tantalum-niobium ore and zinnwaldite; the magnetic substances from the magnetic scavenging are recycled back to the strong dispersion in Step 3, and the deslimed rough concentrate is sent to Step 11;

[0058] Step 11: Second pressure filtration;

[0059] The underflow deslimed rough concentrate in Step 10 is thickened and pressure-filtered to obtain feldspar concentrate;

[0060] Step 12: Scavenging flotation;

[0061] The bottom underflow of the floating concentrate in Step 8 is subjected to scavenging flotation, and its underflow yields tantalum-niobium concentrate, and the top foam is returned to the rough floating in Step 7.

[0062] Optimally, the dispersant is sodium hexametaphosphate.

[0063] Optimally, the feldspar tailings are those containing tantalum-niobium and zinnwaldite, the tailings after heavy flotation or the slime after grinding.

[0064] Optimally, after the magnetic concentration in Step 5, the magnetic scavenging in Step 10, or the floating concentrate in Step 8, the pulp concentration can be adjusted with water using a thickener as needed; during the magnetic concentration in Step 5 or the magnetic scavenging in Step 10, the concentration requirement is 8 - 12%, and during the floating concentrate in Step 8, the concentration requirement is 15 - 25%.

[0065] Optimally, the number of repetitions of the equipment in the ore separation method can be appropriately increased or decreased to adapt to different types of feldspar tailings sources. Example

[0066] The selected original tailings are fed into a pulp - adjusting tank, water is added, and agglomeration is removed through high - speed stirring. The pulp concentration is 20 - 30%. Coarse materials with a mesh size of 30 are removed through a vibrating screen. The underflow of the screen is diluted with water to a pulp concentration of 8 - 12%, and a dispersant, sodium hexametaphosphate, is added to obtain a dilute pulp. The above - mentioned highly - dispersed dilute pulp is fed into a high - intensity pulp magnetic separator with a background magnetic field intensity of 12000 Gauss. After one - roughing, one - cleaning, and one - scavenging, a deslimed rough concentrate is obtained, mainly enriching tantalum - niobium ore and zinnwaldite. The scavenging product with magnetism is returned to the high - dispersion process. The underflow of the scavenging is thickened and filtered to obtain feldspar concentrate. The magnetic - separation rough concentrate is thickened to adjust the pulp concentration to 15 - 25%, sodium hexametaphosphate is added for high - shear dispersion again, and it is fed into a flotation column. After one - roughing, one - cleaning, and one - scavenging, the foam of the cleaning flotation column is the final zinnwaldite concentrate, the foam of the scavenging flotation column is returned to the cleaning flotation column for recycling, and the bottoms of the cleaning and scavenging flotation columns are combined to obtain tantalum - niobium concentrate. In this example, the Li2O grade of the feldspar tailings is 0.52%, the yield of the zinnwaldite concentrate is 12.52%, the concentrate grade is 2.68%, and the recovery rate is 64.42%. The Ta2O5 grade of the feldspar tailings is 0.0048%, the yield of the tantalum concentrate is 0.021%, the grade of Ta2O5 is 12.50%, and the Ta2O5 recovery rate reaches 53%. Example

[0067] The selected original tailings are fed into a pulp - adjusting tank, water is added, and agglomeration is removed through high - speed stirring. The pulp concentration is 20 - 30%. Coarse materials with a mesh size of 30 are removed through a vibrating screen. The underflow of the screen is diluted with water to a pulp concentration of 8 - 12%, and a dispersant, sodium hexametaphosphate, is added to obtain a dilute pulp. The above - mentioned highly - dispersed dilute pulp is fed into a high - intensity pulp magnetic separator with a background magnetic field intensity of 13000 Gauss. After one - roughing, one - cleaning, and one - scavenging, a deslimed rough concentrate is obtained, mainly enriching tantalum - niobium ore and zinnwaldite. The scavenging product with magnetism is returned to the high - dispersion process. The underflow of the scavenging is thickened and filtered to obtain feldspar concentrate. The magnetic - separation rough concentrate is thickened to adjust the pulp concentration to 15 - 25%, sodium hexametaphosphate is added for high - shear dispersion again, and it is fed into a flotation column. After one - roughing, one - cleaning, and one - scavenging, the foam of the cleaning flotation column is the final zinnwaldite concentrate, the foam of the scavenging flotation column is returned to the cleaning flotation column for recycling, and the bottoms of the cleaning and scavenging flotation columns are combined to obtain tantalum - niobium concentrate. In this example, the Li2O grade of the feldspar tailings is 0.48%, the yield of the zinnwaldite concentrate is 14.48%, the concentrate grade is 2.55%, and the recovery rate is 75.89%. The Ta2O5 grade of the feldspar tailings is 0.0038%, the yield of the tantalum concentrate is 0.020%, the grade of Ta2O5 is 10.32%, and the Ta2O5 recovery rate reaches 55%. Example

[0068] The selected original tailings are fed into a pulp - adjusting tank, water is added, and agglomeration is removed through high - speed stirring. The pulp concentration is 20 - 30%. Coarse materials with a mesh size of 30 are removed through a vibrating screen; the underflow of the screen is diluted with water to a pulp concentration of 8 - 12%, and a dispersant, sodium hexametaphosphate, is added to obtain a dilute pulp; the above - mentioned highly - dispersed dilute pulp is fed into a high - intensity pulp magnetic separator with a background magnetic field intensity of 14000 Gauss. After one - roughing, one - cleaning, and one - scavenging, a deslimed rough concentrate is obtained, mainly enriching tantalum - niobium ore and zinnwaldite. The scavenging tailings with magnetism are returned to the high - dispersion process; the underflow of the scavenging is thickened and pressure - filtered to obtain feldspar concentrate; for the magnetic - separation rough concentrate, the pulp concentration is adjusted to 15 - 25% through thickening, sodium hexametaphosphate is added for high - shear dispersion again, and it is fed into a flotation column. After one - roughing, one - cleaning, and one - scavenging, the foam of the cleaning flotation column is the final zinnwaldite concentrate, the foam of the scavenging flotation column is returned to the cleaning flotation column for recycling, and the underflows of the cleaning and scavenging flotation columns are combined to obtain tantalum - niobium concentrate. In this embodiment, the Li2O grade of the feldspar tailings is 0.40%, the yield of the zinnwaldite concentrate is 13.65%, the grade of the concentrate is 2.40%, and the recovery rate is 81.85%; the Ta2O5 grade of the feldspar tailings is 0.0043%, the yield of the tantalum concentrate is 0.025%, the grade of Ta2O5 is 10.60%, and the Ta2O5 recovery rate reaches 62%.

[0069] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention have been clearly and completely described above with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Usually, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0070] Therefore, the above - mentioned detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely represents the selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mineral separation method for separating and enriching tantalum, niobium and zinnwaldite from feldspar tailings, characterized in that: It includes the following steps: Step 1: Pre-dispersion; Select feldspar tailings into a pulp conditioner, add water to adjust the pulp concentration to 20 - 30%, and relieve the agglomeration state of the tailings to obtain thick pulp; Step 2: Vibrating classification; Coarsely screen the thick pulp using a vibrating screen, remove particles with a particle size greater than 30 mesh, dilute the underflow of the screen with water to a pulp concentration of 8 - 12%, and add the dispersant sodium hexametaphosphate to obtain thin pulp; Step 3: Strong dispersion; According to the pulp concentration of the thin pulp, add a dispersant to the thin pulp, and use a high-shear disperser for strong dispersion for 20 - 30 minutes to obtain highly dispersed thin pulp; add a dispersant to the highly dispersed thin pulp to achieve a highly dispersed effect; Step 4: Magnetic rough separation; Add the highly dispersed thin pulp with the dispersant added to a high magnetic field strength ceramic pulp ore separator for magnetic rough separation; the magnetic field strength of the high magnetic field strength ceramic pulp ore separator is 13000 Gauss, and its medium structure is a sandwich-type medium mesh stack; Step 5: Magnetic cleaning; Add weakly magnetic minerals to a high magnetic field strength ceramic pulp ore separator for magnetic cleaning; the magnetic field strength of the high magnetic field strength ceramic pulp ore separator is 13000 Gauss, and its medium structure is a sandwich-type medium mesh stack. After cleaning, obtain rough concentrate and bottom underflow; Step 6: Strong dispersion; Adjust the pulp concentration of the rough concentrate to 15 - 25% through thickening, add a dispersant, and use a high-shear disperser for high-shear dispersion again to obtain dispersed rough concentrate; Step 7: Flotation rough separation; Conduct flotation rough separation on the dispersed rough concentrate. The flotation rough separation adopts two-stage fine mineral flotation columns, and the top foam of the flotation rough separation enters Step 8; Step 8: Flotation cleaning; Conduct flotation cleaning on the top foam of the flotation rough separation using two-stage fine mineral flotation columns. The top foam of the flotation cleaning enters Step 9, and the bottom underflow of the flotation cleaning enters Step 12; Step 9: First pressure filtration; Step 10: Magnetic scavenging; Conduct magnetic scavenging on the bottom underflow of Step 4 magnetic rough separation and Step 5 magnetic cleaning. After the high-dispersion thin pulp undergoes Step 4 magnetic rough separation, Step 5 magnetic cleaning, and Step 10 magnetic scavenging, obtain deslimed rough concentrate; the deslimed rough concentrate is enriched with tantalum-niobium ore and lepidolite; the magnetic substances from the magnetic scavenging are recycled back to Step 3 strong dispersion, and the deslimed rough concentrate is sent to Step 11; Step 11: Second pressure filtration; The bottom underflow deslimed rough concentrate in Step 10 undergoes thickening and pressure filtration to obtain feldspar concentrate; Step 12: Flotation scavenging; Conduct flotation scavenging on the bottom underflow of Step 8 flotation cleaning. Its underflow obtains tantalum-niobium concentrate, and the top foam returns to Step 7 flotation rough separation.

2. A mineral separation method for separating and enriching tantalum-niobium and zinnwaldite from feldspar tailings according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feldspar tailings are tailings containing tantalum-niobium and lepidolite, or slime after heavy flotation tailings or grinding.

3. A mineral separation method for separating and enriching tantalum, niobium and zinnwaldite from feldspar tailings according to claim 1, characterized in that: After Step 5 magnetic cleaning, Step 10 magnetic scavenging, or Step 8 flotation cleaning, use a thickener to add water to adjust the pulp concentration; when conducting Step 5 magnetic cleaning or Step 10 magnetic scavenging, the concentration requirement is 8 - 12%, and when conducting Step 8 flotation cleaning, the concentration requirement is 15 - 25%.

4. A mineral separation method for separating and enriching tantalum, niobium and zinnwaldite from feldspar tailings according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of repetitions of the equipment in the ore separation method can be increased or decreased to adapt to different types of feldspar tailings sources.

5. A mineral separation method for separating and enriching tantalum-niobium and zinnwaldite from feldspar tailings according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dispersant is sodium hexametaphosphate.

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