IMPROVING FLUORITE FLOTATION UNDER LOW TEMPERATURE AND NEUTRAL pH CONDITIONS

Abstract

The authors provide insight into the problem of selective flotation of fluorite from quartz–fluorite ores. The flotation of fluorite mineral from ores by using acidized water glass as depressant has been studied for substitution of the commonly used depressant. It was found that the acidized water glass could achieve higher selectivity of fluorite minerals against gangue minerals in the fluorite flotation. The experimental results showed that YF collector has high selectivity in the flotation of fluoride for low-grade fluorite ores. The use of the YF collector also made it unnecessary to heat the pulp to a high temperature and achieved an acceptable reduction in the flotation temperature to [Formula: see text]C. The YF collector should be used in neutral pH to separate fluorite from gangue and it could also improve fluorite recovery and flotation rate.