Experimental Research and Practice of Mineral Separation from Flotation Tailings Based on Self-Spinning Hydrocyclones

Abstract

The high-ash tailings produced by flotation contains a large number of minerals that can be recycled. However, as the separation and purification technology for flotation tailings is not mature and separation efficiencies are low, it is generally treated as separation waste, resulting in the waste of mineral resources. In view of this phenomenon, the particle size composition and density composition of high-ash minerals in flotation tailings of coal slime as well as the type and content of mineral elements were measured. It was determined that the main mineral composition is quartz, and there is also a certain amount of chlorite (silicate mineral). A self-spinning hydrocyclone used for flotation tailings separation and purification was designed, and numerical simulation was carried out by fluent software. The internal flow field-, tangential velocity-, and axial velocity-distribution characteristics of the hydrocyclone at different rotational speeds were investigated. The physical model of the hydrocyclone was set up and the separation efficiency improvement test of fine particles was carried out. The results show that the overflow yield of −0.045 mm particles increased gradually with the increase in cylinder rotation speed. When the rotation speed increased to 900 r/min, the overflow yield of −0.045 mm particles can reach more than 90%, which can effectively realize the material classification according to 0.045 mm.