3332 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
µm and 850/+500 µm size fractions of low-grade lithium
ore (0.6% Li2O) and 85–90% of the lithium oxide can be
recovered in 5–10% of the mass with lithium grades rang-
ing from 5.1% to 5.7% Li2O at a separation specific gravity
of 2.80. The main requirement in DMS is to have well-
liberated spodumene at a relatively coarse grain size. Due to
the high concentration of gangue minerals, reverse flotation
is essential as an initial process to effectively separate the sil-
ica from the ore. In reverse flotation, the maximum lithium
recovery of approximately 30% with the highest lithium
grade of 1.0% was achieved using 1000 g/t NaOL/DAA at
a ratio of 1:5, pH 10. This indicates that dextrin has a stron-
ger depressive effect on spodumene at higher dosages, likely
due to its stronger adsorption on the spodumene surface.
These findings highlight that reverse flotation, utilizing a
mixed NaOL/DAA collector and dextrin as a depressant,
is essential for effectively concentrating lithium from low-
grade spodumene ore, despite the challenges in achieving
high recovery rates.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors acknowledge the financial support provided
by Human Resources Development in the Mining Sector
(KIZUNA program), Japan International Cooperation
Agency. Also, this research was supported by the Japan
Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Core-to-Core
Program under grant number: JPJSCCB20210005 and
JSPS KAKENHI under grand number 23H01905.
REFERENCES
Aghamirian, M., Mohns, C., Grammatikopoulos, T., et al.
(2012). An overview of spodumene beneficiation. 44th
annual meeting of the canadian mineral processors,
Ottawa, Ontario.
Berdikulova, F.A., Serikbayeva, A.K., Tabylganov, M.T.,
et al. (2022). Methods for lithium-bearing raw mate-
rials processing. Journal of Chemical Technology &
Metallurgy 57(6).
Bian, Z., Zhang, H., Ye, J., et al. (2023). Flotation behav-
ior of oleate and dodecylamine as mixed collector for
recovery of lithium and rubidium from low-grade
spodumene tailings: Experiment, Characterization and
DFT calculation. Applied Surface Science: 158117.
Bishimbayeva, G., Zhumabayeva, D., Zhanabayeva, A., et
al. (2020). Prospects for creating a full cycle of lithium
production in Kazakhstan -from ore processing to
lithium batteries.
Cook, B.K., Aghamirian, M., Li, H., et al. (2022).
Production of Spodumene Concentrate from the North
Carolina Piedmont Lithium Project. Conference of
Metallurgists, Springer.
Dessemond, C., Lajoie-Leroux, F., Soucy, G., et al. (2019).
Spodumene: The Lithium Market, Resources and
Processes. Minerals 9(6): 334.
Filippov, L., Farrokhpay, S., Lyo, L., et al. (2019).
Spodumene flotation mechanism. Minerals 9(6): 372.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
2 (deg)
S S S
S
S
S S S
Q: quartz (SiO2)
M: muscovite (KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2)
F: feldspar ([K,Na]AlSiO3)
S: spodumene (LiAl(SiO2)3)
M M M
M M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M M
M
M
F
F F F
F
F F F F F F F
F F
F F F
F F F F F
F
F F F F F F F F F
Q Q
Q Q
Q Q
Q
Q Q Q
F
S S
Feed
Sink product (concentrate)
Froth product (tailing)
Q
Figure 12. XRD analysis of floatation concentration and froth product in the presence of NaOL/DAA (ratio of 1:5, 1000 g/t
and dextrin (4000 g/t)
µm and 850/+500 µm size fractions of low-grade lithium
ore (0.6% Li2O) and 85–90% of the lithium oxide can be
recovered in 5–10% of the mass with lithium grades rang-
ing from 5.1% to 5.7% Li2O at a separation specific gravity
of 2.80. The main requirement in DMS is to have well-
liberated spodumene at a relatively coarse grain size. Due to
the high concentration of gangue minerals, reverse flotation
is essential as an initial process to effectively separate the sil-
ica from the ore. In reverse flotation, the maximum lithium
recovery of approximately 30% with the highest lithium
grade of 1.0% was achieved using 1000 g/t NaOL/DAA at
a ratio of 1:5, pH 10. This indicates that dextrin has a stron-
ger depressive effect on spodumene at higher dosages, likely
due to its stronger adsorption on the spodumene surface.
These findings highlight that reverse flotation, utilizing a
mixed NaOL/DAA collector and dextrin as a depressant,
is essential for effectively concentrating lithium from low-
grade spodumene ore, despite the challenges in achieving
high recovery rates.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors acknowledge the financial support provided
by Human Resources Development in the Mining Sector
(KIZUNA program), Japan International Cooperation
Agency. Also, this research was supported by the Japan
Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Core-to-Core
Program under grant number: JPJSCCB20210005 and
JSPS KAKENHI under grand number 23H01905.
REFERENCES
Aghamirian, M., Mohns, C., Grammatikopoulos, T., et al.
(2012). An overview of spodumene beneficiation. 44th
annual meeting of the canadian mineral processors,
Ottawa, Ontario.
Berdikulova, F.A., Serikbayeva, A.K., Tabylganov, M.T.,
et al. (2022). Methods for lithium-bearing raw mate-
rials processing. Journal of Chemical Technology &
Metallurgy 57(6).
Bian, Z., Zhang, H., Ye, J., et al. (2023). Flotation behav-
ior of oleate and dodecylamine as mixed collector for
recovery of lithium and rubidium from low-grade
spodumene tailings: Experiment, Characterization and
DFT calculation. Applied Surface Science: 158117.
Bishimbayeva, G., Zhumabayeva, D., Zhanabayeva, A., et
al. (2020). Prospects for creating a full cycle of lithium
production in Kazakhstan -from ore processing to
lithium batteries.
Cook, B.K., Aghamirian, M., Li, H., et al. (2022).
Production of Spodumene Concentrate from the North
Carolina Piedmont Lithium Project. Conference of
Metallurgists, Springer.
Dessemond, C., Lajoie-Leroux, F., Soucy, G., et al. (2019).
Spodumene: The Lithium Market, Resources and
Processes. Minerals 9(6): 334.
Filippov, L., Farrokhpay, S., Lyo, L., et al. (2019).
Spodumene flotation mechanism. Minerals 9(6): 372.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
2 (deg)
S S S
S
S
S S S
Q: quartz (SiO2)
M: muscovite (KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2)
F: feldspar ([K,Na]AlSiO3)
S: spodumene (LiAl(SiO2)3)
M M M
M M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M M
M
M
F
F F F
F
F F F F F F F
F F
F F F
F F F F F
F
F F F F F F F F F
Q Q
Q Q
Q Q
Q
Q Q Q
F
S S
Feed
Sink product (concentrate)
Froth product (tailing)
Q
Figure 12. XRD analysis of floatation concentration and froth product in the presence of NaOL/DAA (ratio of 1:5, 1000 g/t
and dextrin (4000 g/t)