Reducing Calcite and Silicate Gangue Material in Fluorite Mine

On-site laboratory tests show Pionera F-100 and F-220 improve the depression of gangue minerals allowing the production of a marketable fluorite concentrate.

A fluorite mine experiences issues to produce saleable fluorite concentrate as ore composition changes. An on-site flotation study with run-of-mine material included three different new depressants. Each flotation run consisted of one rougher float and three cleaner stages. Depressants were added to each cleaner stage at identical quantities in three steps: 1000 gpt, 500 gpt and 250gpt.

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Key takeaways:

• Both Pionera depressants outperform the existing and alternative depressants.
• The very low recovery of gangue minerals allows for: 
  • Recirculating in cleaners to produce high-value fluorite concentrates.
  • Longer rougher flotation times to increase overall fluorite recovery.

Mineral recovery reporting to final flotation concentrate.