Two-step flotation recovery of iron concentrate from Donganshan carbonaceous iron ore

Abstract

The flotation of pure and natural carbonaceous iron ore samples in the oleate flotation system was investigated. Starch can depress hematite effectively in a wide pH range, but cannot depress siderite efficiently in neutral conditions. The flotation recovery of pure hematite, siderite, and quartz in the oleate-starch-CaCl₂ system is significantly different when the slurry pH varies from 4 to 12. A novel two-step flotation process was developed for the separation of iron concentrate from Donganshan carbonaceous iron ore through which the siderite concentrate is first recovered and the high quality hematite concentrates with relative high iron recovery can be obtained in the second step flotation. The siderite concentrate may be utilized directly or undergo further concentration steps to increase iron grade.

Keywords

iron ores / siderite / hematite / reverse anionic flotation / recovery