Dry processing technology for fluorite ore

The article gives an estimate of mineral resources of the commercial fluorite deposits in Russia. The traditional technologies of fluorite processing are reviewed, and the existing experience of small deposit mining under conditions of water deficiency is analyzed. It is shown that the promising nature of dry mineral processing consists in reduction of energy input in all operations, and in cheapening of the environmental measures owing to possibility of dry waste storage. Dry classified tailings are usable as construction materials. Dry processing by electrical separation is promising with minerals possessing different electrical conductivities or capable to acquire electrical charge during contact electrization. Dry processing of fluorite ore was tested as a case-study of low-sulfide quartz–fluorite ore. The dry processing process flows were tested using percussion centrifugal crushing and milling of fluorite ore down to different sizes, air classification and electric separation. The developed process flow with single-stage electric separation allows production of fluoride concentrate with mass fraction of CaF2 85%, meeting the requirements imposed on metallurgical fluorite concentrates and concentrates for weld metal production, at the finished product yield of 26%.

Shadrunova I. V., Kolodezhna E. V., Gorlova O. E. Dry processing technology for fluorite ore. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2023;(2):43-57. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/ 0236_1493_2023_2_0_43.

I.V. Shadrunova¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, e-mail: shadrunova@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3520-2705,
E.V. Kolodezhnaya¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), e-mail: kev@uralomega.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0252-4479,
O.E. Gorlova, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, G.I. Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, 455000, Magnitogorsk, Russia, e-mail: gorlova_o_e@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1142-0652,
¹ Institute of Problems of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources of Russian Academy of Sciences, 111020, Moscow, Russia.

O.E. Gorlova, e-mail: gorlova_o_e@mail.ru.

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