Application of Magnetic Separation Technology in Different Mineral Resources

01Understanding the principle of magnetic separation technology

Magnetic separation technology uses the difference in magnetic properties of minerals to separate different minerals. According to the difference in magnetization intensity of mineral particles, magnetic minerals will be attracted under the action of an external magnetic field, while non-magnetic minerals will not be affected by the magnetic field. Magnetic separation technology can be divided into two forms: wet magnetic separation and dry magnetic separation. Wet magnetic separation is used to process minerals with high water content, and dry magnetic separation is used to process dry ores and ores that are sensitive to moisture.

02Application of magnetic separation technology for iron ore

Magnetic separation technology was first used for iron ore beneficiation. When dealing with lean and low-grade ores, magnetic separation technology has great advantages. The main resources of iron ore are magnetite and hematite. The gangue minerals of these two ores are usually non-magnetic. Therefore, the use of magnetic separation technology can effectively separate the gangue minerals in iron ore and improve the grade and recovery rate of iron ore.

In order to maximize the magnetic separation effect, the magnetic separation process of iron ore needs to be optimized. For example, a multi-stage magnetic separation process is used to obtain different types of magnetic minerals after separation through magnetic fields of different intensities. The selection of magnetic separation equipment is also one of the factors affecting the magnetic separation effect, because magnetic cylinders, magnetic drums and other equipment will show different separation effects under different magnetic field intensities.

03Application of magnetic separation technology in copper ore

Copper ore is an important non-ferrous metal ore. Although magnetic separation technology is rarely used in its beneficiation process, the iron minerals and magnetites in some copper ores will affect the recovery rate and purity of copper ore. Therefore, in this case, magnetic separation technology can be used as an auxiliary sorting method to remove magnetic impurities in the ore and further improve the grade of copper ore. In actual production, copper ore beneficiation plants will combine magnetic separation with other sorting methods such as flotation. This multiple sorting method can improve the efficiency of copper ore beneficiation.

04Application of magnetic separation technology for tungsten ore

The heavy tungsten ore and tungstenite in tungsten ore have strong magnetism. The impurities in tungsten ore are usually magnetic iron minerals or other magnetic impurities. Therefore, the use of magnetic technology can effectively select tungsten ore and improve the grade of tungsten ore concentrate. In the process of magnetic separation of tungsten ore, it is necessary to pay attention to the symbiotic mineral characteristics of the ore, because tungsten ore often coexists with non-magnetic minerals such as quartz or feldspar. It is difficult to remove these non-magnetic impurities using magnetic separation technology. Therefore, magnetic separation of tungsten ore needs to be combined with gravity separation or flotation separation to achieve ideal separation effect.

In the process of magnetic separation, the particle size distribution of tungsten ore will also affect the separation effect. When processing fine-grained ore, the ore needs to be pre-treated, and the grinding process and classification process are used to improve the magnetic separation effect.

05Application of magnetic separation technology in other ore resources

In addition to the above-mentioned minerals, magnetic separation technology also has certain applications in other ore resources. In the beneficiation process of chromium ore and titanium ore, magnetic separation technology is an effective separation technology. The magnetic minerals in chromium ore are mainly chromite, and the magnetic minerals in titanium ore are mainly ilmenite. The magnetic separation process can effectively separate these magnetic minerals and improve the grade of the ore. However, the magnetic difference of many ores is small, and the application effect of magnetic separation technology is limited. In this case, magnetic separation technology is often used as an auxiliary method, combined with other beneficiation methods to further improve the recovery rate and grade of the ore.

As an efficient mineral separation method, magnetic separation technology has played an important role in the processing of mineral resources such as iron ore, copper ore, and tungsten ore. Despite some technical difficulties, through process optimization, equipment innovation, and joint application with other separation methods, the application prospects of magnetic separation technology in mineral processing are still broad. With the development of high-intensity magnetic field technology and the advancement of intelligent and energy-saving technologies, magnetic separation technology will play an increasingly important role in the efficient utilization and sustainable development of mineral resources.