Flotation Separation on Rare Earth Minerals and Gangues
摘要
The flotation process of native rare earth minerals such as bastnasite, monazite, mixed minerals of bastnasite and monazite, using the new effective collector Dh was studied, respectively, and the flotation properties were described. The good qualities of the new collector Dh were revealed through comparing with other collector of rare earth minerals. The test results of different ore samples showed that at moderate pulp pH (8.5～9.5), rare earth minerals could be effectively separated from barium, calcium and silicon bearing intergrowth minerals (barite, calcite and silicate minerals) and high quality rare earth concentrates could be obtained successfully by the new collector Dh, acid silica gel, turpentine and reagents fitting together rationally. In order to determine optimum technical conditions, the effect of pulp pH, pulp temperature, pulp density and the effect of dosage of reagents (Dh and acid silica gel) on the flotation were investigated in the test. Simultaneously, the mechanism of the flotation of rare earth minerals from intergrowth minerals was explored. The infrared spectra for Dh and rare earth cation by analysis in theory showed that Dh formed chelate complex with rare earth cation and were adsorbed on the surfaces of rare earth minerals. The mechanism of the intergrowth minerals depressed by acid silica gel can be explained as gummy colloid hydrolyzed from acid silica gel which were selectively absorbed on the gangue minerals, making them hydrophilic and depressed, with pulp pH value of alkalescent.