Khabarovsk Federal Research Center, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Khabarovsk, Russia

L. A. Kienko, Leading Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, kienkola@rambler.ru
O. V. Voronova, Senior Researcher

The paper provides an analysis of the problems associated with the enrichment of secondary raw materials by the flotation method. The studies of the mineral and chemical analyses of nine samples of old carbonate–fluorite ore tailings accumulated at the Yaroslavskaya Mining Company are presented. The investigated material is characterized by the extremely fine intergrowth of mineral components. It is found that fluorite contained in the test samples (11.56–20.7 %) is represented by intergrowths and fine pulp material. Secondary raw materials have some special technological properties due to the film coatings formed at the stage of primary processing and during storage in the tailings pond. Flotation efficiency is largely determined by the accessibility of mineral structures for flotation reagents. The application of special actions providing the effective surface preparation of mineral phases and subsequent selective extraction of fluorite is justified. The effectiveness of operations aimed at desorption of surface neoplasms under the action of ultrasound is experimentally demonstrated. The increase in extraction of fluorite into high-quality concentrates with the CaF₂ content of 94.23–95.16 % can reach 4.9–6.5 %. It is found that the use of a gas–water emulsion prepared by the electrochemical method allows achieving an increase in the degree of hydrophilization of silicate minerals. A rational scheme of electrical treatment operations is proposed, which allows reducing calcite activity with simultaneous increasing of fluorite flotation rate. Processing of the material that passed the stage of contact with the system of reagents in the electrolytic cell significantly increases the efficiency of flotation. Extraction of fluorite into concentrates with a mass fraction of CaF₂ of 92.29–92.88 % was over 64 % with a steady tendency to decrease in the content of silicon dioxide in them.
The tests and calculations were performed using equipment of the Scientific Data Processing and Storage Center for Shared Use at the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Project No. 075-15-2021-663.

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