Tungsten, known as "the tooth of industry", is a precious and rare metal material, accounting for only 30% of the global tungsten resources. As wolframite has experienced long-term overload mining, its resources may be depleted in the near future. Therefore, it is imperative to rationally develop and make full use of tungsten ore resources. Selecting a suitable wolframite extraction process is an important part of it.
Generally speaking, the beneficiation of wolframite is mainly divided into two aspects: coarse-grained wolframite separation and fine-grained wolframite separation. For wolframite with coarse particle size, the concentrator generally adopts the gravity separation method to obtain better recovery indicators, while for the fine-grained wolframite, when a single gravity separation process is used, the recovery effect will be less than ideal. On the other hand, the processing capacity of a single gravity separation equipment is low. Therefore, the concentrator will use the combined beneficiation method to extract the fine-grained wolframite. The following will introduce you to four combined extraction processes to separate fine-grained wolframite.
Use the table of contents below to navigate through the guide:
01Wolframite classification-shaker-centrifugal concentrator process
Although a single shaker gravity separation process is simple and low in cost, its recovery rate is generally low. Therefore, combining with other beneficiation methods can overcome the defects of the full shaker process and improve its concentrate recovery efficiency. The classification-shaker-centrifugal concentrator beneficiation method is one of the improved methods of the full-shaker beneficiation process. The main process is: the concentrated wolframite particles are classified and divided into two levels of +0.037mm and -0.037mm. For wolframite particles of +0.037mm, a shaker was used for recovery. And -0.037mm wolframite particles are processed by centrifugal concentrator. Using this beneficiation process can increase the total recovery rate of wolframite to 47%-60%. This technological process is simple to operate, and the recovery index is relatively stable.
02Wolframite pre-selection-flotation-gravity beneficiation process
When the wolframite is treated by the pre-selection-flotation-gravity beneficiation process, the fine-grained wolframite needs to be concentrated first. The concentrated wolframite enters the centrifuge for gravity separation and pre-concentration. The coarse concentrate obtained by centrifugation enters the flotation machine for the flotation of sulfide ore. The flotation tailings can be re-entered into the shaker for gravity separation to enrich wolframite. The concentrate grade and recovery rate of this method are better. The pre-enrichment operation of this process can discard a large amount of gangue minerals in advance, greatly reducing the amount of ore entering subsequent operations and improving production efficiency. At the same time, pre-enrichment can also play the role of desliming and improving concentrate grade.
03Wolframite strong magnetic separation-flotation beneficiation process
Before adopting this beneficiation process, the fine-grained wolframite needs to be removed and concentrated. Because wolframite is weakly magnetic, the treated wolframite can be sent to a strong magnetic separator for roughing, and the tailings are discarded. The strong magnetic rougher concentrate enters the flotation machine for desulfurization and flotation. After flotation, fatty acid, hydroxamic acid, water glass and other agents are added to the pulp for wolframite selection. Using this beneficiation process, the grade of wolframite concentrate can be improved, and the recovery rate can be as high as 50%-65%. Compared with the full flotation separation process, the strong magnetic separation-flotation process can reduce the dosage of chemicals, and at the same time, the process is short and the operation is simple.
04Wolframite desulfurization-centrifugal beneficiation-flotation beneficiation process
The specific flow of this method is as follows: the fine-grain wolframite is desulfurized first. Then, wolframite enters the centrifugal concentrator for roughing. The rougher concentrate is desulfurized again and then enters the flotation machine for flotation to obtain wolframite concentrate. The recovery rate of wolframite concentrate obtained by this process is generally about 65%. It is worth noting that although this method can improve the recovery efficiency of concentrate, its process is relatively complex and requires relatively high flotation process.
The above is the combined beneficiation method of four kinds of fine-grained wolframite. The above data is for reference only. The physical and chemical properties of wolframite ore from different mines are quite different. Xinhai suggests that the beneficiation plant should conduct beneficiation tests before designing and determining the beneficiation process, so as to formulate a suitable and efficient beneficiation process. Xinhai has been committed to beneficiation test research, beneficiation plan formulation and equipment manufacturing for more than 20 years. We are confident to provide you with efficient and complete wolframite beneficiation process and equipment. If necessary, welcome to consult Xinhai.