ВЫБОР ТЕХНОЛОГИИ ПОВЫШЕНИЯ ГИДРОФОБНОСТИ И ИЗВЛЕКАЕМОСТИ АЛМАЗОВ ТРУБКИ "БОТУОБИНСКАЯ"

Abstract

A promising direction for solving the problem of producing small diamonds is to expand the range of enriched classes and reduce diamond losses through the use of modern technologies. The article presents the results of research on the causes of reduced hydrophobicity of Botuobinskaya tube diamonds and the choice of parameters for preparing the feedstock for the processes of sticky and foam separation, ensuring the restoration of surface properties and extraction of hydrophilized diamonds into concentrate. Studies have shown that the mineral coatings on the surface of diamonds are fragments of primary or modified kimberlites, as well as slurries and films, firmly connected to the surface of diamond crystals. Diamonds from hypergenically altered kimberlites are characterized by the predominance of carbonate and aluminosilicate minerals. It has been shown by the method of unrestricted flotation of diamond-kimberlite samples that the use of mechanical scrubbing is effective enough to remove slurry coatings, but does not provide complete removal of car bonate-aluminosilicate microbreccias firmly bound to the surface of diamonds. As a result of the conducted research, it is shown that for a more complete recovery of small diamonds from kimberlites enriched at the Nyurbinsky GOK, it is advisable to use the processes of mechanical stripping and thermal cleaning of diamonds from hydrophilizing coatings to restore their hydrophobicity. It is shown that the use of a combination of these methods provides an increase in diamond recovery during sticky separation by 14.1 % and during foam separation by 20.4 %. The level of recovery of hydrophilic diamonds (more than 82 %) achieved using foam separation technology allows us to recommend this process for use in improving the technology of enrichment of small classes of diamonds.