Selective Flocculation and Flotation

flocculation-flotation-desliming-flowsheet

The Bureau of Mines undertook a research program to insure an adequate supply of iron raw materials for future iron and steel making needs. A sample was obtained of oxidized taconite from the western Mesabi Range in Minnesota, and the metallurgical response of the taconite to beneficiation by a process that included selective flocculation-desliming-cationic flotation […]

Recovery of Rutile Titanium Dioxide

electron microbeam

The increasing demand for titanium minerals, especially rutile, has sparked interest in the abundant domestic titanium resources of the United States. Although 93 percent of the rutile used in this country is imported, there are porphyry copper deposits in the Western United States that constitute a very large potential rutile resource. Rutile is used to […]

Platinum – Palladium Flotation

An exploration program initiated by Johns-Manville Corp. resulted in the discovery of significant occurrences of platinum-group elements in the Stillwater complex of south-central Montana. The mineralization occurs in a horizon of relatively sulfide-rich anorthositic rocks within the Banded Zone of the complex. The favorable horizon is continuous over a strike length of 24 miles. The […]

Copper Nickel Flotation

flowsheet for continuous flotation open pit sample

The Bureau of Mines investigated the flotation responses of two copper nickel ore samples from the Duluth Complex with the objective of recovering bulk sulfide concentrates. One of the ores studied was taken from a test pit; the other was taken from a test shaft. The samples were quite similar except that the pit sample […]

Flotation of Chromite Ore

chromite-rougher-flotation-mouat

The Stillwater Complex in Montana (mainly the Benbow and Mouat deposits) contains an estimated 15.7 million short tons of ore containing 1.3 million short tons of recoverable chromium. This represents approximately 75 percent of available domestic chromite and could supply U.S. needs for about 4 to 5 years, but it is low in grade and […]

Fluorocarbon & Hydrocarbon Collectors

flotation-recovery-of-alumina

Quartz did not float significantly at any pH value between pH2 and pH12 when any of the anionic collectors were used. The flotation of alumina with anionic collectors is depicted in figure 1. It can be seen that SOL functions as a good collector for alumina over most of the pH range studied, the recovery […]

Increase Uranium Recovery by Nitric Acid Leaching

flotation-nitric acid leach procedure

To meet these uranium demands, larger, lower grade, and refractory ore bodies will need to be exploited. The utilization of these ores will require the development of new and improved processing technology. In its program of Advancing Minerals Technology, the Bureau of Mines is investigating innovative methods for recovering minerals and metals from low-grade and […]

COARSE FLOTATION

grinding-flotation-horsepower

COARSE FLOTATION OFFERS IMPORTANT SAVINGS THROUGH REDUCED OPERATING COSTS Grinding cost varies greatly depending upon the size reduction required. For example, it takes approximately 50% less horsepower to grind from ½” to 48 mesh than it does to grind the same material from ½” to 100 mesh. Many minerals are liberated at a coarse mesh […]

COAL FLOTATION

grinding-flotation-coal

The flowsheet in this study illustrates the general practice in the United Kingdom. A large number of coal preparation plants have been established by the National Coal Board during the past 10 years. The primary consideration is to achieve a maximum recovery of low ash coal. The secondary consideration is to reclaim the plant water […]