Mining Institute, Kola Science Centre, RAS (Apatity, Russia)

Fomin A. V., Senior Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, fomin5-49@mail.ru

This article presents the results of technological laboratory studies aimed at assessing the feasibility of using gravity concentration methods to isolate nepheline concentrate from apatite flotation tailings obtained in the processing of ores from the Khibiny deposits. The material composition features identified for a sample of this material and the final processing products suggests that gravity concentration of the initial feed is facilitated by separating titanite particles, pyroxenes, and amphiboles into the heavy fraction and nepheline into the light fraction. Effective gravity concentration of the initial feed is hindered by the small difference in densities between the valuable mineral and the waste rock, as well as by the presence of feldspars and a number of other rock-forming minerals in the feed, with densities comparable to or lower than the density of nepheline. A series of technological experiments have confirmed the fundamental feasibility of using the processing methods considered to obtain nepheline concentrate. It has been established that it is difficult to obtain a high-grade concentrate from the feed using gravity concentration methods exclusively. Various gravity concentration options, based on spiral separation, have been proposed for obtaining crude nepheline concentrate from apatite flotation tailings. These produce a concentrate with a mass fraction of Al₂O₃ of 25.2–25.8 % and a total recovery of 75.8–77.9 %. The standard grade for this concentrate may then be ensured through final treatment by flotation methods. Implementation of the proposed process solutions using resourcesaving gravity concentrate methods will improve nepheline flotation feed grades while simultaneously reducing the flotation time. This will contribute to stable yields of high-grade nepheline concentrates from low-grade refractory mineral raw materials of variable compositions.

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