Molybdenum ore flotation process and reagents

Molybdenum is widely used in the fields of steel, electronics, chemicals and other industries. Therefore, mining and beneficiation are also receiving more and more attention. Therefore, how to effectively select suitable molybdenum ore beneficiation technology is the key to improving the recovery of molybdenum resources. Among them, flotation is widely used in molybdenum beneficiation, and the recovery efficiency is also good. The selection of flotation technology and reagents during operation is related to the utilization level of molybdenum resources and the economic benefits of the beneficiation plant. This article will focus on the introduction of molybdenum ore flotation process and reagents.

1.Molybdenum ore flotation technology

The flotation of molybdenum ore is based on the difference between the hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of the mineral surface. After crushing and grinding, the ore is placed in the flotation equipment, and the flotation reagent is added to adjust the surface properties of the mineral so that molybdenite combines with bubbles, thereby realizing the separation of molybdenum ore and gangue minerals. The flotation process will be affected by many factors such as mineral particle size, reagent type and flotation time. Appropriately adjust the flotation process to reduce the impact of these factors and improve the flotation efficiency. Commonly used molybdenum ore flotation equipment includes mechanical stirring flotation machine and aeration stirring flotation machine, which are selected according to the specific process.

2.Molybdenum ore flotation process

The flotation process of molybdenum ore mainly includes: crushing, grinding, flotation, concentration and dehydration.

Crushing and grinding: After the molybdenum ore is coarsely crushed, medium crushed and finely crushed, the mineral particle size meets the flotation requirements. The ore is processed by a ball mill or a rod mill for the next step to ensure that the target mineral is dissociated into monomers.

Flotation separation: Molybdenum ore flotation generally adopts roughing, concentrating and scavenging. Roughing can quickly enrich molybdenite, and concentrating can further improve the grade of concentrate. Scavenging is to recover the tailings in roughing and concentrating to avoid the waste of molybdenum ore resources.

Concentration and dehydration: The molybdenum concentrate after flotation needs to be concentrated and filtered to remove excess water to finally obtain qualified concentrate.

3.Molybdenum ore flotation reagents

In the molybdenum ore flotation process, the selection of reagents is particularly important for the flotation effect. Commonly used reagents include collectors, frothers and regulators.

Collectors: can enhance the hydrophobicity of the molybdenite surface, making it easier to adsorb on bubbles. Types of molybdenum ore flotation collectors include: xanthate, black medicine, alkyl sulfate, etc.

Frothers: mainly used to control the number, size and stability of bubbles. Commonly used frothers for molybdenum ore flotation include rosin oil, methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC) and alcohol substances.

Regulators: There are pH adjusters, inhibitors and activators. pH adjusters include lime, etc., which are mainly used to control the pH of the slurry. Inhibitors include water glass, which is mainly used to selectively inhibit the flotation of gangue minerals. The role of activators is to enhance the activity of molybdenum minerals.

4.Selection of molybdenum flotation reagents

The mineral composition of molybdenum ore is complex, and different types of molybdenum ores have different requirements for flotation reagents. The flotation of complex and difficult molybdenum ores requires the combined use of multiple reagents. By adjusting the type of flotation reagents and optimizing the ratio of flotation reagents, the recovery rate and concentrate grade of molybdenum can be effectively improved, and the production cost and the pollution of reagents to the environment can be reduced.

5.Molybdenum ore flotation and reagent optimization

Intelligence and automation: With the development of intelligent and automated mineral processing equipment, the flotation process can monitor parameters such as pulp concentration, pH value, bubble state, etc. in real time through sensors, and combine big data for data analysis to achieve precise control and optimization of the flotation process.

Green and efficient: With the strengthening of environmental awareness, the greening and efficiency of reagents can ensure the flotation effect while reducing the negative impact on the environment. The design and development of new flotation reagents can meet the needs of green mine construction.

Process and reagent synergistic optimization: The optimization of flotation process and the selection of reagents are interdependent. By adjusting the process conditions and combining with efficient flotation reagents, the flotation efficiency of molybdenum ore can be effectively improved.

In summary, choosing a reasonable molybdenum ore flotation process, supporting flotation equipment and suitable reagents can effectively improve the flotation effect. Optimizing the type and dosage of reagents for different types of molybdenum ores can effectively improve the concentrate grade and recovery rate. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct mineral processing test analysis first, and design a suitable molybdenum ore flotation process and a reasonable reagent type and ratio through analysis.