Institute of Mining of Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, Khabarovsk, Russia:

E. D. Shepeta, Senior Staff Scientist, e-mail: elenashepeta56@mail.ru
L. A. Samatova, Assistant Professor, Head of Laboratory of Problems of Mineral Raw Materials Complex Processing

The National University of Science and Technology “MISiS”, Moscow, Russia:

T. I. Yushina, Professor, Head of Department of Beneficiation and Processing of Mineral Mine Waste, Mining College, e-mail: yuti62@mail.ru

¹The National University of Science and Technology “MISiS”, Moscow, Russia ; ²Thrane Teknikk JSC, Elektrostal, Moscow region, Russia:
I. V. Alushkin, Post-graduate Student, Department of Beneficiation and Processing of Mineral Mine Waste, Mining College¹, Specialist of Thrane Teknikk JSC²

Base tungsten ores involving into processing stipulates radically new strategy of their beneficiation. In contrast to the existing technologies, it allows for preliminary concentration (pre-concentration) of valuable component in the run-of-mine ore by use of radiometric methods of separation (RMS). Examined in the paper is a possibility in principal to separate base scheelite ores by use of different kinds of radiometric separation: X-ray adsorption method (XRT) on TOMRA Sorting GmbH (Germany) equipment and X-ray radiometric method (XRF) on RADOS Ltd. (ООО “РАДОС») equipment. Results of the fulfilled research show high efficiency of the tungsten ore pre-concentration by both RMS methods. Thus, application of XRT method will permit to increase by the factor of 2.3 content of WO₃ in combined separation concentrate and riddling which is a feeding of subsequent flotation treatment as well as to provide high processing characteristics. Content increment in separation concentrates is connected with improvement of material composition of the primary ores owing to removal of sizeable rock amount and to growth of the ore material proportion. Flotation of source samples with WO₃ content of 0.24–0.28% gives no scheelite concentrates of conditioned quality even in narrow terms of the rough concentrates finishing (liquid glass expenditure in steaming is 6–20 kg/t, residual concentration is 4.5–6.2%). Depending on oxidation level of mineral surfaces (limonite films formation and deeper limonite penetration in cracks) as well as ore contrast, extraction into final scheelite concentrate varies in a wide range and is present between 37(41) and 64.8%. In flotation of separation concentrates with WO₃ content of 0.6–1.8% liquid glass consumption in finishing decreases up to 3.8–4.6 kg/t; in so doing quality of scheelite concentrate is 50–70%, extraction makes 83.5–89.3%. Skarn ores of Vostok-2 deposit contain sulphide mineral complex: chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, arseno-pyrite. Ores pre-concentration leads to some rise of copper (0.13–0.2%) and arsenic (0.1–0.44%) contents in separation concentrates. As a result of separation concentrates flotation, copper extraction increased by 10%, but obtained concentrate is ill-conditioned through arsenic as the main detrimental impurity. Ore pre-concentration technology application at breaking and secondary crushing stages will allow to cut down operating costs, associated with expensive processes of grinding of the total volume of material meant for deep concentration stages. Use of RMS technologies will allow not only to reduce economic expenses but to lessen ecological load in the region owing to contraction of volume of filler tailing ponds. Lump separation tails may be used as a stowage material of mine waste, providing a complementary step in costs reduction for getting separation concentrates. Thus, RMS technologies introduction into the process line of an enterprise with consideration for its declared advantages will ensure it a fundamental efficiency increasing in regard to use of subsoil and beneficiation. In the long-term prospect, these technologies will provide the enterprise with much more competitiveness than the other ones. 

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