Optimal Depressants and Collector Dosage in Fluorite Flotation Process Based on DoE Methodology
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Corpas-Martínez, José Raúl; Pérez, Antonio; Amor-Castillo, Celso; Navarro-Domínguez, Rafael; Martín Lara, María Ángeles; Calero De Hoces, Francisca MónicaEditorial
MDPI
Materia
DOE Flotation Fluorite Metallurgical Recovery Optimization Slimes
Date
2019-01-22Referencia bibliográfica
Corpas-Martínez, José Raúl; Pérez, Antonio; Amor-Castillo, Celso; Navarro-Domínguez, Rafael; Martín-Lara, María Ángeles; Calero, Mónica. Optimal Depressants and Collector Dosage in Fluorite Flotation Process Based on DoE Methodology. Appl. Sci. 2019, 9, 366. [http://hdl.handle.net/10481/54839]
Sponsorship
This research was funded by company MINERA DE ÓRGIVA, S.L., Spain”.Abstract
Alternative processes have been proposed for selective separation of fluorite and gangue
minerals (carbonates and silicates) present in fluorspar ores. Calcination and gravity separation
processes are methods that have low efficiency and high cost. Flotation is a chemical process that
becomes important when high ore grades are required; however, the selectivity is inhibited by the
superficial similarity of the chemical composition of minerals. Accordingly, interactions between
dissolved ionic species of fluorite, carbonates, and silicates with some reagents under determinate
conditions obstruct the flotation process. In order to optimize the flotation process of a Spanish
fluorite ore, this research uses a mathematical model. In this study, the variables were the dose of
potato starch, quebracho tree, white dextrine, oleic acid, and sodium silicate. On the other hand,
the factors studied were the law of carbonates, silica, and fluorite, in addition to the metallurgical
recovery of fluorite. The statistical technique of factor analysis that relates the variables and factors
allowed to the optimization of the reagent dosage. Maximum metallurgical recovery was achieved
without sacrificing the fluorite grade. The mathematical model adjusts satisfactorily to the results
with a correlation coefficient of 91.58% for metallurgical recovery and 98.51% for fluorite grade.
Optimizing the process 60.45% of metallurgical recovery and 68.99% of fluorite grade are achieve
in the roughing step, using a dosage of 1.68 g.kg-1 of potato starch, 0.86 g.kg-1 of quebracho tree,
1.25 g.kg-1 of dextrin, 3 g.kg-1 of oleic acid, and 0.85 g.kg-1 of water glass.