1184 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
Production Performance Analysis
An industrial trial of the new process was conducted at
Shizhuyuan mine for 15 days and the results are shown in
Figure 14.
After the process modification, the recovery of WO3
and Sn showed an obvious increase, and the stability of
the overall flotation process also improved. The average
WO3 recovery increased from 70.62% to 78.36%, while
Sn recovery increased from 9.26% to 22.04%, greatly
improving the utilization rate of the tungsten-tin resource
in Shizhuyuan ore. The recovery increase of tungsten and
tin could be attributed to the additional product, the con-
centrate from secondary flotation process. Table 8 shows
the grades of the concentrates in the original and new pro-
cesses. With regards to the main-process concentrate in
the modified process, the WO3 grade increased but the Sn
grade decreased. This is because the lower pH is beneficial
for the scheelite flotation but unfavorable for cassiterite and
garnet. Notably, the WO3 and Sn grades of the secondary-
process concentrate are 7.23% and 3.04% respectively.
The images in Figure 15 depict the concentrates
obtained from the dual process, illuminated under both
ambient and UV light. In Figure 15b, the concentrate from
the initial process emits a noticeable glow under the UV
lamp, indicating a high-grade concentrate primarily com-
posed of scheelite. Meanwhile, its XRD pattern showed
that little cassiterite and wolframite was recovered to this
concentrate. The XRD pattern of secondary-process con-
centrate in Figure 15e shows that the valuable components
are predominantly wolframite and cassiterite, with little
scheelite. This also indicates that the recovery efficiency of
scheelite is relatively high in the main process. Meanwhile,
it is worth noting that garnet is recovered the secondary
process concentrate, probably because pH=9.0 is suitable
for the recovery of garnet[22]. The depression of garnet
would therefore make meaningful extension of this work.
Economic Evaluation
The process modification has greatly increased the recovery
of tungsten and tin, and its economic value was evaluated.
The efficacy of process modification brings a new product,
Figure 14. The recovery of WO
3 and Sn before and after process modification
Table 8. The average grades of concentrates in the original and new BHA processes
Process
Average Grades (%)
The Main-Process
Concentrate
The Secondary-Process
Concentrate
WO3 Sn WO3 Sn
The original BHA process 30.20 1.46 t —
The modified BHA process 35.44 0.43 7.23 3.04
Production Performance Analysis
An industrial trial of the new process was conducted at
Shizhuyuan mine for 15 days and the results are shown in
Figure 14.
After the process modification, the recovery of WO3
and Sn showed an obvious increase, and the stability of
the overall flotation process also improved. The average
WO3 recovery increased from 70.62% to 78.36%, while
Sn recovery increased from 9.26% to 22.04%, greatly
improving the utilization rate of the tungsten-tin resource
in Shizhuyuan ore. The recovery increase of tungsten and
tin could be attributed to the additional product, the con-
centrate from secondary flotation process. Table 8 shows
the grades of the concentrates in the original and new pro-
cesses. With regards to the main-process concentrate in
the modified process, the WO3 grade increased but the Sn
grade decreased. This is because the lower pH is beneficial
for the scheelite flotation but unfavorable for cassiterite and
garnet. Notably, the WO3 and Sn grades of the secondary-
process concentrate are 7.23% and 3.04% respectively.
The images in Figure 15 depict the concentrates
obtained from the dual process, illuminated under both
ambient and UV light. In Figure 15b, the concentrate from
the initial process emits a noticeable glow under the UV
lamp, indicating a high-grade concentrate primarily com-
posed of scheelite. Meanwhile, its XRD pattern showed
that little cassiterite and wolframite was recovered to this
concentrate. The XRD pattern of secondary-process con-
centrate in Figure 15e shows that the valuable components
are predominantly wolframite and cassiterite, with little
scheelite. This also indicates that the recovery efficiency of
scheelite is relatively high in the main process. Meanwhile,
it is worth noting that garnet is recovered the secondary
process concentrate, probably because pH=9.0 is suitable
for the recovery of garnet[22]. The depression of garnet
would therefore make meaningful extension of this work.
Economic Evaluation
The process modification has greatly increased the recovery
of tungsten and tin, and its economic value was evaluated.
The efficacy of process modification brings a new product,
Figure 14. The recovery of WO
3 and Sn before and after process modification
Table 8. The average grades of concentrates in the original and new BHA processes
Process
Average Grades (%)
The Main-Process
Concentrate
The Secondary-Process
Concentrate
WO3 Sn WO3 Sn
The original BHA process 30.20 1.46 t —
The modified BHA process 35.44 0.43 7.23 3.04