Tekhnogen Research and Production, Ekaterinburg, Russia:

Shemyakin V. S., Chief Executive Officer, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, shemiyakin@mail.ru

Ural State University of Economics, Ekaterinburg, Russia:
Skopova L. V., Associate Professor, Candidate оf Pedagogical Sciences, L-skopova@mail.ru

Kyshtym Mining and Processing Plant, Kyshtym, Russia:
Kuzmin V. G., Chief Executive Officer, Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, info@russianquartz.com

Institute of Mining, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russia:
Sokolov I. V., Head of a laboratory, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, geotech@igd.uran.ru

The data of the preliminary studies and tests on concentration of quartz raw material from Kyshtym deposit made the basis for the experimental research into X-ray radiometric separation at Kyshtym Mine. For the research, five samples of different coarseness (–65+20 and –30+5 mm) were taken at different stages of ore pretreatment by crushing and sorting (original ore — with and without washing off from slime; tailings of manual sorting; tailings of optical separation).Concentration by X-ray radiometry was carried out on prototype separator SRF1-150L. It was found that at the analytical parameter PFe = 0.10 units, it was possible to extract concentrated quartz with the iron content of 0.90–0.96% from the original ore and with the iron content of 1.12–1.16% from the tailings of manual sorting and optical separation. The yield of the concentrated quartz made 43–45% after the original ore treatment and 33–36% after processing of the tailings. For the large-scale testing, a joint sample of manual sorting tailing with the size of –65+20 mm and optical separation tailings with the size of –30+5 mm. The test separation of the joint sample allowed 38.6% recovery of the concentrate containing 83% of quarts, 14% of pegmatites (mostly, orthoclase), 2% of carbonates and 1% of other minerals. The separation tailings were discharged, and the concentrate was sent to manual sorting to remove feldspar minerals. After manual sorting of the concentrate, the treated product had quartz content of 98% at the end-to-end yield of 26.8%. Based on the research and tests, the X-ray radiometric separation flow chart was develop and proposed for treatment of joint tailings (manual sorting and optical separation with the size of –65+5 mm.

The studies have been supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, Unique Project Identifier RFMEF160714X0026.

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