Ilmenite flotation process flow

Ilmenite is commonly found in igneous and sedimentary deposits as black or dark brown crystals or grains. The importance of ilmenite lies in its role as a major source of titanium, a valuable metal widely used in industry today. Due to its unique combination of properties, the demand for titanium is increasing, making it an indispensable material in a variety of high-tech and industrial applications.

Flotation is a common method for separating ilmenite and can be divided into conventional flotation, flocculation flotation, agglomeration flotation and carrier flotation.

Traditional flotation

Traditional methods of ilmenite beneficiation usually use collectors such as oleic acid, oxidized paraffin soap and tar. The combination and proportion of these collectors can be determined based on the mineral composition. For example, new collectors can be used to separate ores containing ilmenite and titanopyroxene to improve ore grade.

Flocculation and flotation

The flocculation and flotation methods of ilmenite can be divided into selective flocculation and flotation methods and hydrophobic flocculation and flotation methods. These are mainly used for finer-grained ilmenite. Selective flocculation and flotation concentrate one mineral and then gradually separate it into a slurry containing two or more minerals. Hydrophobic flocculation and flotation utilize mutual hydrophobic interactions of mineral particles to form individual clusters.

Reunion flotation

The agglomeration flotation method of ilmenite involves the use of a collector that adsorbs on the surface of the ilmenite particles, making them hydrophobic. The capillary attraction of the bridging liquid is then used to agglomerate the ore particles, resulting in successful flotation of ilmenite. This method is suitable for ilmenite with finer particle size. Attention must be paid to the use of collectors and the intensity of stirring as they directly affect the recovery of ilmenite.