Describe some methods for beneficiation of ores SolutionBene

Describe some methods for beneficiation of ores

Solution

Beneficiation is any process that improves the economic value of the ore by removing the gangue minerals, which results in a higher grade product (concentrate) and a waste stream.

methods of benefication of ores:-

The purpose of grinding and regrinding is to reduce the ore to a size small enough to liberate and recover the valuable minerals.

The crushing units may include primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary crushing systems.

Jaw, gyratory, cone, and roll crushers are used for ore crushing. Semi autogenous grinding and autogenous grinding circuits are used for grinding the ore.

This process is primitive and widely used in lumpy iron ore processing to dislodge and remove friable and soft lateritic materials, fine materials and limonitic clay particles adhering to the ore.

This technique is used where iron bearing minerals are free from associated gangue materials. The specific gravity of iron bearing minerals is usually higher than the specific gravity of gangue materials.

Magnetic separation technologies are used to take the advantage of the difference in the magnetic properties for separating iron ore from the non magnetic associated gangue materials. Magnetic separation can be conducted in either a dry or wet environment, although wet systems are more common.

Typically magnetic separation involves three stages of separation namely (i) cobbling, (ii) cleaning/roughing, and (iii) finishing.

Flotation process uses a technique where particles of one mineral or group of minerals are made to adhere preferentially to air bubbles in the presence of a chemical reagent.

Several factors are important to the success of flotation activities. These include uniformity of particle size, use of reagent compatible with the mineral, and water conditions that will not interfere with the attachment of the reagents to the mineral or the air bubble.

Chemical reagents used are mainly of three main groups namely (i) collectors/amines, (ii) frothers, and (iii) antifoams.