3486
Ultrasonic Dispersion as a Tool to Recover Ultrafine Particles
from Hydrated Iron Ore
Michelle Lacerda Sales Marques
Université de Lorraine, CNRS, GeoRessources
Vale S/A, Iron Ore Beneficiation Development Team
Lev O. Filippov, Inna V. Flilippova
Université de Lorraine, CNRS, GeoRessources
ABSTRACT: The recovery of valuable elements from tailings has become a growing area of study. Researchers
aim to minimize waste generation and mitigate disposal risks associated with these materials. The application
of ultrasound as an alternative for enhancing the concentration processes has demonstrated its effectiveness,
even at the laboratory scale. Ultrasound serves as a powerful tool for handling small-sized particles, particularly
in ores with hydrated mineralogical characteristics. The application of ultrasound at basic pH promotes better
particle dispersion than chemical reagents, facilitating the action of selective collector reagents in the flotation
concentration stage. The study shows that it is possible to increase the metallurgical recovery for an iron ore slime
with 51% Fe from the Iron Quadrangle in Brazil. Furthermore, the study discusses the influence of sonification
intensity and residence time during the sonification stage. Additionally, it examines how the percentage of solids
affects the process and takes into account the impact on flotation kinetics behavior.
Keywords: Iron ore, Goethite, Quartz, Flotation, Amidoamine, Sonication
INTRODUCTION
Iron ore is an activity that moves large volumes of rock,
resulting in significant waste generation (ICMM, 2022).
Researchers have long been investigating the optimal utili-
zation of these natural resources, particularly regarding the
recovery of ultrafine iron (Fe) content from tailings. As part
of this effort, new methods for tailings disposal need to be
developed, and stacking has emerged as a solution within
the iron ore industry. However, disposing of tailings, espe-
cially those with ultrafine grain sizes, presents challenges.
(Mascarenhas et al., 2023).
Iron ore with a high goethite content, referred to as
hydrated iron ore, generally has a high Fe content and a
more complex mineralogical composition. This type of
ore is primarily processed through particle size reduction.
When it is concentrated, the removal of ultrafine particles
becomes necessary to ensure optimal performance in the
concentration process.
Finding solutions that are able to take advantage of the
Fe from the goethite lost in the tailings is an immediate
necessity, especially given the lack of studies on this sub-
ject (Marques et al., 2023). Such efforts not only enhance
the utilization of existing mineral resources but also allow
for the utilization of lithologies that would otherwise be
discarded as waste due to their challenging mineralogical
characteristics.
In this context, the study of new tools that offer more
effective solutions, rather than merely incremental ones, is
Ultrasonic Dispersion as a Tool to Recover Ultrafine Particles
from Hydrated Iron Ore
Michelle Lacerda Sales Marques
Université de Lorraine, CNRS, GeoRessources
Vale S/A, Iron Ore Beneficiation Development Team
Lev O. Filippov, Inna V. Flilippova
Université de Lorraine, CNRS, GeoRessources
ABSTRACT: The recovery of valuable elements from tailings has become a growing area of study. Researchers
aim to minimize waste generation and mitigate disposal risks associated with these materials. The application
of ultrasound as an alternative for enhancing the concentration processes has demonstrated its effectiveness,
even at the laboratory scale. Ultrasound serves as a powerful tool for handling small-sized particles, particularly
in ores with hydrated mineralogical characteristics. The application of ultrasound at basic pH promotes better
particle dispersion than chemical reagents, facilitating the action of selective collector reagents in the flotation
concentration stage. The study shows that it is possible to increase the metallurgical recovery for an iron ore slime
with 51% Fe from the Iron Quadrangle in Brazil. Furthermore, the study discusses the influence of sonification
intensity and residence time during the sonification stage. Additionally, it examines how the percentage of solids
affects the process and takes into account the impact on flotation kinetics behavior.
Keywords: Iron ore, Goethite, Quartz, Flotation, Amidoamine, Sonication
INTRODUCTION
Iron ore is an activity that moves large volumes of rock,
resulting in significant waste generation (ICMM, 2022).
Researchers have long been investigating the optimal utili-
zation of these natural resources, particularly regarding the
recovery of ultrafine iron (Fe) content from tailings. As part
of this effort, new methods for tailings disposal need to be
developed, and stacking has emerged as a solution within
the iron ore industry. However, disposing of tailings, espe-
cially those with ultrafine grain sizes, presents challenges.
(Mascarenhas et al., 2023).
Iron ore with a high goethite content, referred to as
hydrated iron ore, generally has a high Fe content and a
more complex mineralogical composition. This type of
ore is primarily processed through particle size reduction.
When it is concentrated, the removal of ultrafine particles
becomes necessary to ensure optimal performance in the
concentration process.
Finding solutions that are able to take advantage of the
Fe from the goethite lost in the tailings is an immediate
necessity, especially given the lack of studies on this sub-
ject (Marques et al., 2023). Such efforts not only enhance
the utilization of existing mineral resources but also allow
for the utilization of lithologies that would otherwise be
discarded as waste due to their challenging mineralogical
characteristics.
In this context, the study of new tools that offer more
effective solutions, rather than merely incremental ones, is