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Mineral Processing
ArticleName Combined flows for the staged recovery of magnetite concentrate
DOI 10.17580/chm.2026.03.01
ArticleAuthor A. E. Pelevin
ArticleAuthorData

Ural State Mining University, Yekaterinburg, Russia

A. E. Pelevin, Dr. Eng., Associate Prof., Prof. of the Dept. of Mineral Processing, e-mail: a-pelevin@yandex.ru

Abstract

Staged recovery of iron concentrate allows for a reduction in the cost of subsequent grinding. The use of fine hydraulic screening and spiral separation to obtain concentrate from the third-stage grinding feed of a titanium-magnetite ore beneficiation circuit did not ensure the recovery of concentrate of the required quality. Therefore, the use of combined circuits incorporating two beneficiation methods is considered. Three circuit variants are studied. Fine hydraulic screening, spiral separation, and beneficiation in an alternating magnetic field are considered as the first beneficiation method. The second beneficiation method was wet magnetic separation. The use of combined fine screening – wet magnetic separation or spiral separation – wet magnetic separation systems ensures the recovery of approximately 50 % of the concentrate for agglomeration before the third grinding stage. The use of separation in an alternating magnetic field allowed for the recovery of concentrate from the third grinding stage feed without the need for additional wet magnetic separation. The use of magnetic separation in an alternating field helped to reduce the negative impact of magnetic flocculation on beneficiation results, resulting in a reduced likelihood of non-magnetic particles entering the magnetic product. The staged recovery of concentrate leads to a decrease in the -0.071 mm grade content in the total concentrate, making the resulting concentrate suitable only for agglomerate production.

keywords Iron concentrate, beneficiation circuit, fine hydraulic screening, spiral separation, alternating magnetic field, wet magnetic separation, grinding, -0.071 mm class content
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