Lithium ore flotation process flow

Lithium ore is one of the main sources of lithium and is produced in muscovite-type and lepidolite-type granitic pegmatites. It often coexists with lepidolite, beryl, columbite-tantalite, tourmaline, muscovite, etc. It is a silicate mineral like these gangue minerals. Lithium ore flotation plants often use lithium ore flotation technology to purify lithium ore. Let’s take a look at lithium ore flotation technology.

Lithium ore flotation technology

Lithium flotation mineral processing technology mainly refers to foam flotation technology. The lithium ore flotation process generally includes the following operations.

1. Grinding

Ore is the first grind that separates lithium minerals from other minerals (or gangue minerals).

2. Grading and dosing

Adjust the slurry concentration to suit flotation requirements and add required flotation reagents to improve efficiency.

3. Flotation separation

The slurry expands and floats in the flotation machine to complete the separation of minerals.

4. Dehydration and separation

The flotation foam products and tailings products are dehydrated and separated.

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The lithium ore flotation process mainly affects ore properties, grinding fineness, stirring operation, adjuster ratio, water hardness, etc. The pure spodumene mineral has an uncontaminated surface and floats easily with oleic acid and soaps. The optimal pH value of flotation slurry is close to neutral and weakly alkaline. Na2CO3 should be added before spodumene flotation to eliminate the influence of molten salt ions in the slurry and stir and deslim. The surface of lithium ore (lithium ore) needs to be formed by adding NaOH to form a strong alkaline lithium ore flotation technology principle.

The slurry consisting of solid lithium mineral particles and water (the slurry usually comes from a classification or concentration operation) should first be blended with appropriate flotation agents in a stirred tank. When necessary, use part of the process return water (such as filtrate) or water to adjust the slurry concentration to meet flotation requirements. The main purpose of mixing slurry and flotation agent is to

a) Add collectors or activators to increase the hydrophobicity of the surface of minerals to be floated.

b) Add inhibitors to make the surface of minerals that do not want to float more hydrophilic and inhibit their floating.

c) Add foaming agent to promote the formation and dispersion of bubbles.

The adjusted slurry is sent to the flotation tank, and the slurry and air are sucked into the flotation tank by the rotating impeller at the same time. The air is shattered into many bubbles by the movement of the mud flow. Foaming agents promote the formation and dispersion of microbubbles. In the slurry, air bubbles collide with the ore particles. The difference in surface hydrophobicity determines whether the ore particles adhere to the bubble surface. The mineral particles with strong surface hydrophobicity adhere to the surface of the bubbles, are carried by the bubbles, and rise to the surface of the slurry to form a foam layer. The scraped foam is called lithium concentrate. The particles with strong surface hydrophilicity do not interact with the slurry. The amount of NaOH determines the recovery rate of lithium ore.