1216 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
Acceptable recovery and upgrade were achieved through
conventional wet gravity separation techniques, hence only
the beneficiation the gravity concentrate was considered.
A carboxylic acid collector was used based on well doc-
umented favourable selectivity (Andrews 1990). Sodium
silicate and a starchy polysaccharide were used as depres-
sants to reduce titanium bearing minerals and zircon
reporting to flotation concentrate. Operating pH was regu-
lated with the addition of caustic soda and set in the range
9.2–9.5. From key observation to successful separation was
the requirement for several stages of mechanical attrition-
ing and de-sliming prior to flotation.
Overall, a single stage of flotation was shown to out-
perform the multistage conventional dry mill process. The
flowsheet schematics is shown in Figure 7.
The CeO2 grade recovery performance is summarized
in Figure 8.
Final grades of 23.0% CeO2 and 3.5% Y2O3, were
achieved and overall recovery relative to the MSP was cal-
culated to be 97.4%. Less than 1% of the Ti-minerals and
Zr-minerals were shown to report to the flotation concen-
trate thereby meeting the criteria for successful concept
flowsheet configuration.
A comparison of the REE-concentrates chemical com-
position is shown in Table 4.
Ore-2 Sample
FPP
As identified during the characterization phase, the ore
contained high level of ultra fine particles and therefore de-
sliming was included as part of the feed preparation plant
Slimes
Float
Sink
Final REE-concentrate
(damp /wet)
Conventional MSP
low U+Th stock
MSP Feed
Attrition
De-slime
Conditioning
Flotation
Reagents
Reagents
Figure 7. Ore-1 upfront flotation MSP circuit
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.0
12.0
14.0
16.0
18.0
20.0
22.0
24.0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
%CeO2 recovery (relative gravity HMC)
Flotation selectivity
Conventional MSP selectivity
Figure 8. Ore-1 comparative MSP circuit performance
%
CeO2
grade
Acceptable recovery and upgrade were achieved through
conventional wet gravity separation techniques, hence only
the beneficiation the gravity concentrate was considered.
A carboxylic acid collector was used based on well doc-
umented favourable selectivity (Andrews 1990). Sodium
silicate and a starchy polysaccharide were used as depres-
sants to reduce titanium bearing minerals and zircon
reporting to flotation concentrate. Operating pH was regu-
lated with the addition of caustic soda and set in the range
9.2–9.5. From key observation to successful separation was
the requirement for several stages of mechanical attrition-
ing and de-sliming prior to flotation.
Overall, a single stage of flotation was shown to out-
perform the multistage conventional dry mill process. The
flowsheet schematics is shown in Figure 7.
The CeO2 grade recovery performance is summarized
in Figure 8.
Final grades of 23.0% CeO2 and 3.5% Y2O3, were
achieved and overall recovery relative to the MSP was cal-
culated to be 97.4%. Less than 1% of the Ti-minerals and
Zr-minerals were shown to report to the flotation concen-
trate thereby meeting the criteria for successful concept
flowsheet configuration.
A comparison of the REE-concentrates chemical com-
position is shown in Table 4.
Ore-2 Sample
FPP
As identified during the characterization phase, the ore
contained high level of ultra fine particles and therefore de-
sliming was included as part of the feed preparation plant
Slimes
Float
Sink
Final REE-concentrate
(damp /wet)
Conventional MSP
low U+Th stock
MSP Feed
Attrition
De-slime
Conditioning
Flotation
Reagents
Reagents
Figure 7. Ore-1 upfront flotation MSP circuit
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.0
12.0
14.0
16.0
18.0
20.0
22.0
24.0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
%CeO2 recovery (relative gravity HMC)
Flotation selectivity
Conventional MSP selectivity
Figure 8. Ore-1 comparative MSP circuit performance
%
CeO2
grade