EP4334038A1 - Procédé de séparation de minéraux - Google Patents

Procédé de séparation de minéraux

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Publication number
EP4334038A1
EP4334038A1 EP22724675.8A EP22724675A EP4334038A1 EP 4334038 A1 EP4334038 A1 EP 4334038A1 EP 22724675 A EP22724675 A EP 22724675A EP 4334038 A1 EP4334038 A1 EP 4334038A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
lithium
whgms
paramagnetic
stream
waste
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP22724675.8A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Roderick SMITH
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Imerys British Lithium Ltd
Original Assignee
Research By British Lithium Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Research By British Lithium Ltd filed Critical Research By British Lithium Ltd
Publication of EP4334038A1 publication Critical patent/EP4334038A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03C—MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03C1/00—Magnetic separation
    • B03C1/02—Magnetic separation acting directly on the substance being separated
    • B03C1/025—High gradient magnetic separators
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03C—MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03C1/00—Magnetic separation
    • B03C1/02—Magnetic separation acting directly on the substance being separated
    • B03C1/30—Combinations with other devices, not otherwise provided for
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03C—MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
    • B03C2201/00—Details of magnetic or electrostatic separation
    • B03C2201/18—Magnetic separation whereby the particles are suspended in a liquid

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a selective wet magnetic separation process for beneficiation (separating and concentrating) of weakly paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals from a milled feed stream containing weakly paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals, highly magnetic ferrous waste and nonmagnetic gangue, using a sequence of wet magnetic separators, such as Low Intensity Magnetic Separators ("LIMS”), Wet High Gradient Magnetic Separators (“WHGMS”) and Vertical Pulsating Wet High Gradient Magnetic Separators (“VPWHGMS”) to obtain concentrated paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals therefrom suitable for further processing to extract the lithium.
  • LIMS Low Intensity Magnetic Separators
  • WHGMS Wet High Gradient Magnetic Separators
  • VPWHGMS Vertical Pulsating Wet High Gradient Magnetic Separators
  • the present invention also relates to a magnetic separation apparatus for beneficiation of weakly paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals from a milled feed stream containing weakly paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals, highly magnetic ferrous waste and nonmagnetic gangue.
  • the process of the present invention can be used to achieve >90% recovery of weakly paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals to a concentrate.
  • Beneficiation is used in the mining and allied industry to improve the economic value of a mineral ore feed by removing "gangue" minerals (worthless or low-value contaminants) to provide a higher grade or concentrated valuable product. Beneficiation can however be a wasteful process in terms of both energy and chemicals, and can provide low recovery of the valuable product. Beneficiation processes typically use high energy milling, chemical surfactants and other agents to improve mineral concentration. Physical means of beneficiating ores can also be used to extract different materials to discrete process streams based on their contrast in physical characteristics such as for example colour, radiometric, magnetic or electrostatic susceptibility, density, shape or particle size. For example, magnetic separation can be used "indirectly” to remove magnetic contaminants from the desired mineral ore, or to “directly” remove a magnetic target mineral from nonmagnetic contaminants.
  • Wet milling is required to liberate or separate the desired minerals (such as lithium-mica or lithium-spodumene) from gangue.
  • desired minerals such as lithium-mica or lithium-spodumene
  • Spodumene is a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminium inosilicate LiAI(SiC>3)2, is not magnetic or paramagnetic, and so cannot be separated from gangue minerals and concentrated by magnetic separation. Magnetic separation has been known to be used to indirectly concentrate spodumene by removing minor magnetic contaminants from spodumene ores, but not to directly concentrate the spodumene.
  • Micas are chemically the most variable mineral group among all rock-forming minerals. Not all mica minerals contain lithium, but those that do can also, but not always, contain iron within their crystal matrix or as impurities in the form of sub-microscopic inclusions of iron oxides, which makes them very weakly magnetic or paramagnetic.
  • Lithium-mica minerals such as zinnwaldite KLiFeAI(AISi3)Oio(OH,F)2 (potassium lithium iron aluminium silicate hydroxide fluoride) and polylithionite KLiuNao.sAISUOioFiOH) are more complex minerals than spodumene LiAI(Si2C>6) (lithium aluminium inosilicate) and contain less lithium.
  • Pure zinnwaldite for example contains eight elements with lithium accounting for only 1.59% of the mineral's mass, whereas spodumene contains only four elements of which lithium accounts for 3.73% of the pure mineral's mass.
  • the use of magnetic separation of one material from another or the removal of magnetic particles from streams depends upon their motion in response to the magnetic force and to other competing external forces, namely gravitational, inertial, hydrodynamic and centrifugal forces all of which need to be considered when designing an efficient process.
  • a necessary condition for the successful separation of more strongly magnetic from less strongly magnetic particles in a magnetic field is that the magnetic force acting on more magnetic particles must be greater than the sum of all the competing forces.
  • the present invention uses vertical fluid flow and pulsation of the slurry to assist the separation of paramagnetic mica minerals.
  • the granite ore containing lithium-mica may contain low concentrations of ferrous minerals. Milling ores in preparation for their beneficiation by separating or liberating the different minerals from each other invariably introduces highly magnetic ferrous waste, which may include swarf from crushing and grinding media. Ferrous minerals and swarf have been found to foul high-intensity magnetic separators used to extract and concentrate paramagnetic minerals. Also, the highly magnetic swarf often contains chrome, which has been found to be deleterious to the subsequent process of extracting lithium from lithium-mica minerals.
  • a wet magnetic separation process for efficiently beneficiating (separating and concentrating) paramagnetic lithium- mica minerals from a milled feed stream containing weakly paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals mixed with both highly magnetic ferrous waste and nonmagnetic gangue, in which the process comprises: feeding the milled feed stream containing weakly paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals, highly magnetic ferrous waste and nonmagnetic gangue into a Low magnetic field Intensity Magnetic Separator ("LIMS”) having a first magnetic field strength to provide a first waste stream comprising highly magnetic waste material, and an indirectly concentrated first product stream comprising paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals together with nonmagnetic gangue; subsequently feeding the first product stream into a first Wet High Gradient Magnetic Separator (“WHGMS”) having a second magnetic field strength that is greater than the first magnetic field strength of the LIMS to provide a second waste stream comprising nonmagnetic gangue and residual carryover paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals
  • LIMS Low magnetic field Intensity Magnetic
  • a series of low and high magnetic field strength separations may be used to achieve a high beneficiation mass yield of particular paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals, and overcome the difficulty of separating materials with very low contrast of magnetic susceptibility.
  • the process may comprise the use of vertical fluid flow and pulsating slurry feed in combination with the series of low and high magnetic field strength separations to achieve a high beneficiation yield of particular paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals.
  • the milled feed stream is preferably a slurry.
  • the LIMS preferably has a first magnetic field strength sufficient to separate the first highly magnetic waste stream, whilst also being insufficient to attract paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals.
  • the first WHGMS may also be referred to herein as a "Rougher”.
  • the second WHGMS may also be referred to herein as a "Scavenger”.
  • the third WHGMS may also be referred to as a "Cleaner”.
  • the second waste stream comprising nonmagnetic gangue produced by the Rougher WHGMS preferably comprises residual or carryover paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals mixed with nonmagnetic gangue.
  • the fourth product stream preferably has an increased concentration of paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals compared to the second and third product streams.
  • the fourth waste stream comprising nonmagnetic gangue produced by the Cleaner WHGMS preferably comprises a low concentration of remaining paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals (for example residual or carry-over paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals) mixed with nonmagnetic gangue which optionally may be recycled to the Scavenger WHGMS for recovery of residual carryover paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals.
  • the fourth waste stream may comprise a decreased concentration of paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals mixed with an increased concentration of nonmagnetic gangue resulting in a lithium concentration below a predetermined minimum amount.
  • the predetermined minimum amount may be selected to correspond to an amount of lithium content that is considered to be uneconomic to use for further extraction in which case the fourth waste stream may be considered the final waste stream and no further beneficiation is required.
  • an apparatus for the wet magnetic separation of wet milled paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals from a feed stream containing weakly paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals mixed with highly magnetic ferrous waste and nonmagnetic gangue comprising: a slurry feed source comprising milled weakly paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals mixed with nonmagnetic gangue and highly magnetic ferrous waste materials; a LIMS having a first magnetic field strength, the LIMS being configured to receive the slurry feed source, and further comprising a first waste outlet configured to provide a first highly magnetic waste stream, and a first product outlet configured to provide a first product stream comprising paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals together with nonmagnetic gangue; a Rougher WHGMS having a second magnetic field strength, the Rougher WHGMS being configured to receive the first product stream from the LIMS, and further comprising a second waste outlet configured to provide a second waste stream comprising nonmagne
  • the fourth waste stream may comprise a decreased concentration of paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals mixed with an increased concentration of nonmagnetic gangue resulting in a lithium concentration below a predetermined minimum amount.
  • the predetermined minimum amount may be selected to correspond to an amount of lithium content that is considered to be uneconomic to use for further extraction in which case the fourth waste stream can be considered the final waste stream and no further beneficiation is required
  • milled is used to refer to the solid materials having reduced particle size, to separate or liberate different minerals from each other, by processes including crushing, grinding and classification or optionally scrubbing and classification.
  • Size classification of the particles is required to ensure the bulk of the material feed is of a size suitable for magnetic separation.
  • the feed stream has a maximum particle size of 1-3 mm.
  • the feed stream has a minimum particle size in the range of between 10 pm and 50 pm.
  • the wet magnetic separation process may further comprise desliming the milled feed stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals, preferably by use of a hydrocyclone to provide a deslimed, milled feed stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals comprising particles having an average particle size (dso) greater than 10 pm, preferably greater than 20 pm, preferably greater than 50 pm.
  • dso average particle size
  • the feed stream or feed source may comprise a plurality of feed stream fractions.
  • Each feed stream fraction may comprise a milled feed stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals comprising particles having a maximum particles size within a predetermined maximum particle size range.
  • the feed stream or feed source may comprise a plurality of feed stream fractions, in which one or more, preferably each feed stream fraction, comprises particles within a different predetermined maximum particle size range.
  • the predetermined maximum particle size range within one feed stream fraction may overlap with the predetermined maximum particle size range of one or more other feed stream fractions.
  • the predetermined maximum particle size range within one feed stream fraction may be distinct from the predetermined maximum particle size range of one or more other feed stream fractions.
  • the process may comprise feeding each feed stream fraction ora combination of one or more feed stream fractions into a WHGMS and obtaining a paramagnetic lithium-mica mineral concentrate product stream therefrom.
  • One or more, for example each, feed stream fraction may be fed, for example separately fed or in combination, into the same WHGMS, or into separate WHGMS.
  • the milled feed stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals or feed source is derived from igneous rock which may be granite.
  • the igneous rock may have been formed during the Variscan orogeny.
  • the igneous rock may form for example part of the Cornubian batholith, the Bohemian batholith, the Mondenubian batholith or the Central French Massif.
  • the milled feed stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals or feed source is preferably derived from naturally deposited lithium-mica-bearing rock, sediments or anthropogenically generated waste streams or lithium-mica storage dams derived from naturally deposited lithium-mica-bearing rock or sediments.
  • the milled feed stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals or feed source preferably comprises a slurry containing between 10% and 50% w/w solids, preferably grading between 500 and 15,000 ppm lithium.
  • the WHGMS preferably provides a magnetic field with a magnetic field strength of less than 2 Tesla, preferably less than 1.5 Tesla, for example in the range of between 0.2 and 1.5 Tesla.
  • the WHGMS is preferably a VPWHGMS.
  • Pulsation may be provided by for example an actuated diaphragm configured to provide pulsation to the slurry feeding the corresponding WHGMS, preferably a VPWHGMS.
  • the WHGMS preferably comprises one or more VPWHGMS.
  • the VPWHGMS may use an actuated diaphragm pulsation mechanism with a stroke length between 0 mm and 40 mm, and a stroke rate between 0 Hz and 400 Hz.
  • At least one of the WHGMS is a VPWHGMS.
  • the vertical orientation of the separator ring enables magnetic particle flushing in the opposite direction to the flow of feed material. This enables the more strongly magnetic and or coarse particles to be removed without passing through the full depth of the separator matrix. Additionally, flushing may take place near the top of rotation of the vertical ring where the magnetic field is the lowest, thereby reducing residual attraction of paramagnetic particles. These benefits reduce magnetic matrix plugging and increase mechanical availability.
  • the first and/or second and/or third WHGMS is a VPWHGMS.
  • each of the first and second and third WHGMS is a VPWHGMS.
  • each of the WHGMS is a VPWHGMS.
  • the apparatus comprises a first "Rougher” WHGMS and a second, “Scavenger” WHGMS having a magnetic field strength preferably equal to or greater than the magnetic field strength of the Rougher WHGMS, in which the Scavenger WHGMS is operable to receive the second waste stream from the Rougher WHGMS and to recover additional paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals therefrom to provide a third product stream comprising concentrated paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals mixed with a reduced concentration of nonmagnetic gangue, and a third waste stream therefrom.
  • the process comprises feeding one or more waste streams from one or more first, "Rougher” WHGMS or a third "Cleaner” WHGMS into a second, “Scavenger” WHGMS having a magnetic field strength preferably equal to or greater than the magnetic field strength of the Rougher WHGMS to provide the third product stream comprising concentrated paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals mixed with a reduced concentration of nonmagnetic gangue, and a third waste stream.
  • the third waste stream may comprise a decreased concentration of paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals mixed with an increased concentration of nonmagnetic gangue in a lithium concentration below a predetermined minimum amount.
  • the predetermined minimum amount may be selected to correspond to an amount of lithium content that is considered to be uneconomic to use for further extraction.
  • the apparatus may further comprise a Cleaner WHGMS operable to receive one or more product streams from the Rougher WHGMS and/or the Scavenger WHGMS to provide a fourth product stream comprising an increased concentration of paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals compared to the first, second or third product streams, and a fourth waste stream.
  • a Cleaner WHGMS operable to receive one or more product streams from the Rougher WHGMS and/or the Scavenger WHGMS to provide a fourth product stream comprising an increased concentration of paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals compared to the first, second or third product streams, and a fourth waste stream.
  • the process may comprise feeding a product stream obtained from the Rougher WHGMS into a Cleaner WHGMS to provide a fourth product stream comprising an increased concentration of paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals compared to the second product stream obtained from the Rougher WHGMS, and fourth waste stream.
  • the Scavenger WHGMS is in communication with a Cleaner WHGMS.
  • the Cleaner WHGMS preferably has a third magnetic field strength preferably no greater than the magnetic field strength of the Scavenger WHGMS.
  • the process comprises feeding a second product stream obtained from one or more Rougher WHGMS into a Cleaner WHGMS.
  • the magnetic field strength of the Cleaner WHGMS is preferably no greater than the magnetic field strength of the Scavenger WHGMS.
  • the Cleaner WHGMS provides a fourth product stream comprising an increased concentration of paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals compared to the magnetic product stream obtained from one or more Rougher WHGMS, and a fourth waste stream.
  • the fourth waste stream may contain paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals in a concentration above a predetermined minimum amount.
  • the fourth waste stream may be recycled, for example reintroduced into one of the WHGMS (for example the first or second or third or a fourth WHGMS) in order to further extract any residual carryover paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals remaining within the fourth waste stream.
  • the apparatus may comprise one or more of: LIMS, WHGMS, scavenger WHGMSs and/or cleaner WHGMSs, and any combination thereof, operable to receive one or more waste streams.
  • One or more waste streams may be fed into one or more of: the LIMS, WHGMS, a scavenger WHGMS and/or a cleaner WHGMS, and any combination thereof.
  • the apparatus may comprise one or more of: additional LIMS(s), WHGMS(s), VPWHGMS(s), scavenger WHGMS(s), cleaner WHGMS(s), or any combination thereof, operable to receive one or more product streams.
  • One or more product streams are preferably fed into one or more of: a further LIMS, a WHGMS, a VPWHGMS, a scavenger WHGMS, a cleaner WHGMS, or any combination thereof.
  • the process further includes pulsation of the slurry fed to at least one of the magnetic separators.
  • the process further includes pulsation of one or more, preferably of at least the first VPWHGMS.
  • the process further includes pulsation of the second VPWHGMS.
  • the process further includes pulsation of one or more, preferably each of the first, second and third VPWHGMS, or any combination thereof.
  • Pulsation assists the separation of weakly paramagnetic lithium-mica mineral particles by agitating the feed material in the separation zone, for example a slurry, and keeping particles in a loose state, thereby minimizing the risk of blockages, accumulation or entrapment on the faces of the magnetic matrix and maximising contact of weakly paramagnetic particles to the magnet while reducing particle momentum aiding in magnetic attraction.
  • the process and apparatus of the present invention has been found to be more tolerant of fine particles as well as of larger particle sizes, and to recover particles of lower magnetic susceptibility than conventional beneficiation processes.
  • the process of the present invention is more time and energy efficient and lower cost than conventional beneficiation processes, produces higher mass recovery and does not require the use of chemicals.
  • the wet magnetic separation process for beneficiation of paramagnetic lithium- mica minerals is an exclusively magnetic separation process.
  • the wet magnetic separation process of the present invention does not involve any additional beneficiation steps.
  • the process of the present invention has been found by the inventor in pilot-scale testwork to provide improved recovery efficiency compared to conventional beneficiation processes including dense media separation and/or floatation. Furthermore, the process of the present invention involves fewer processing steps, is more economical and more environmentally friendly than conventional beneficiation processes. The process of the present invention does not use environmentally damaging processes or reagents, such as surfactants.
  • the waste products are principally chemically unaltered silica sand and feldspar which can be disposed of safely.
  • Figure 1 and Figure 2 are schematic illustrations of the magnetic separation process for extracting weakly paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals by sequentially extracting paramagnetic magnetic fractions of an ore according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the magnetic separation apparatus 10 for extracting paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals from a milled feed stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals 2A, highly magnetic waste materials and nonmagnetic gangue.
  • the comminution apparatus 12 is operable to produce a milled feed stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals 2A.
  • the comminution apparatus 12 may for example be a device that is configured to break, crush, grind, vibrate and/or mill the mineral feed source 1A, IB.
  • the comminution apparatus is a milling device, for example, a wet milling device.
  • the comminution apparatus 12 provides a milled feed slurry stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals 2A having predetermined maximum particle size, for example, of no more than 3 mm.
  • the comminution apparatus 12 also provides a milled waste stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals 2B having
  • waste stream 2B is recycled and reintroduced to the comminution apparatus 12 as recycled mineral feed stream IB.
  • the apparatus 10 further comprises a cyclone 14 comprising an inlet 16 operable to receive the milled feed stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals 2A.
  • the cyclone 14 further comprises an outlet 18 to provide a deslimed, milled feed stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals 4 therethrough.
  • the cyclone is operable to produce a deslimed, milled paramagnetic lithium-mica mineral feed stream having an average particle size (d5o) of 10 pm or more, for example 50 pm or more.
  • the apparatus 10 further comprises a Low Intensity Magnetic Separator ("LIMS") 20 in communication with the outlet 18 of the cyclone 14 to receive the deslimed, milled feed stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals 4 therefrom.
  • LIMS Low Intensity Magnetic Separator
  • the LIMS 20 is operable to have a first magnetic field strength to produce a first highly magnetic waste stream (not shown) and a first product stream comprising paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals and nonmagnetic gangue 5.
  • the apparatus 10 further comprises a first, "Rougher” WHGMS 22 in communication with the LIMS 20 to receive the first product stream containing paramagnetic lithium-mica mineral 5 therefrom.
  • the Rougher WHGMS 22 is operable to have a second magnetic field strength greater than the first magnetic field strength of the LIMS 20.
  • the Rougher WHGMS 22 is operable to provide a second waste stream 7 and a second product stream 6 comprising paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals and a reduced concentration of nonmagnetic gangue.
  • the apparatus 10 may further comprise one or more of: a second, "Scavenger” WHGMS and/or a third, “Cleaner” WHGMS.
  • FIG. 2 shows an embodiment where the second nonmagnetic waste stream E is fed into a Scavenger WHGMS 3.
  • the Scavenger WHGMS has a magnetic field strength preferably equal to or greater than the magnetic field strength of the Rougher WHGMS 2.
  • the Scavenger WHGMS 3. provides a third product stream F comprising concentrated paramagnetic lithium- mica minerals, and a third waste stream G.
  • the apparatus further comprises a Cleaner WHGMS 4. in communication with the Rougher WHGMS 2.
  • the Cleaner WHGMS 4 receives the second product stream D from the Rougher WHGMS 2 and provides a fourth product stream H comprising an increased concentration of paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals compared to the product stream D or product stream F, and a fourth waste stream I.
  • one or more waste streams may be recycled and reintroduced into any one of: LIMS, one or more WHGMS, scavenger WHGMS and/or cleaner WHGMS, or any combination thereof, in order to further extract and concentrate paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals therefrom.
  • the present invention has been found in pilot-scale testing to increase lithium-mica recovery efficiency with low energy consumption and without requiring any nonmagnetic beneficiation steps or the use of environmentally harmful chemicals.
  • the process of the present invention can be used to achieve >90% recovery of paramagnetic lithium-mica minerals to a concentrate.
  • the operating principle of the invention relies on a series of magnetic separation steps which are tuned to enable the selective recovery of materials with different magnetic susceptibilities.
  • the applicant has achieved this through tailoring the forces required for particle capture at each magnetic separation step.
  • An idealised situation describing the separation process can be applied.
  • a spherical paramagnetic particle in a fluid moving at a constant velocity approaches a ferromagnetic/ferrimagnetic object of circular cross section.
  • a uniform magnetic field applied perpendicular to the object axis magnetises the object and a magnetic force acting on the particle is developed. If the magnetic force is large enough to overcome the competing hydrodynamic force and gravity then the particle will adhere to the magnetised matrix.
  • This is the underlying principle by which the method described is tuned to a particular separation challenge. The equation that describes the relationship is given below.
  • FM is the magnetic force required
  • V is the volume of the particle
  • Mp is the magnetic susceptibility of the particle
  • dH/dX is the magnetic gradient seen across the particle.
  • the magnetic force required for separation becomes proportional to three terms: the volume of the particle, the particle magnetisation (gauss/gram), and the field gradient over the dimensions of the particle. In the process of the present invention, all of these terms are tuned to improve the recovery yield of the material. The dynamics of this sequence of separations become readily interpretable by substitution into the formula. For each of the target magnetic separation steps of the present invention, a range of parameters for practising the invention is defined.
  • the process of the invention is particularly suited to the magnetic beneficiation of lithium- mica minerals that are weakly paramagnetic and with low contrast in magnetic susceptibility to the gangue.
  • lithium-mica minerals suitable for beneficiation by this process can be described by the general formula:
  • X is K, Na, or Ca or less commonly Ba, Rb, or Cs;
  • Y is Al, Mg, or Fe or less commonly Mn, Cr, Ti, Li, Sn etc.;
  • Z is chiefly Si or Al, but also may include Fe3+ or Ti.
  • a paramagnetic lithium-mica mineral suitable for concentration using the invention is Zinnwaldite KLiFeAI(AISi3)Oio(OH,F)2 (potassium lithium iron aluminium silicate hydroxide fluoride).

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  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
  • Silicates, Zeolites, And Molecular Sieves (AREA)
  • Steroid Compounds (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé de séparation magnétique humide sélective permettant d'enrichir efficacement (séparer et concentrer) des minéraux de lithium-mica paramagnétiques à partir d'un flux d'alimentation broyé comprenant des minéraux de lithium-mica faiblement paramagnétiques et une gangue. Le procédé consiste à introduire (A.) un courant d'alimentation broyé comprenant des minéraux de lithium-mica paramagnétiques dans une séquence de séparateurs magnétiques de faible intensité (B.) et de séparateurs magnétiques à gradient élevé humides (WHGMS) (2., 3., 4.), de préférence des séparateurs magnétiques à gradient élevé humides pulsés verticaux (VPHGMS) et à obtenir un flux de produit comprenant des minéraux de lithium-mica paramagnétique (H.), et un flux de déchets contenant des déchets hautement magnétiques (C) et des flux de déchets contenant une gangue non magnétique (E., G., I.) à partir de ceux-ci.
EP22724675.8A 2021-05-06 2022-04-21 Procédé de séparation de minéraux Pending EP4334038A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2106456.3A GB2606379A (en) 2021-05-06 2021-05-06 Wet magnetic separation process
PCT/EP2022/060571 WO2022233586A1 (fr) 2021-05-06 2022-04-21 Procédé de séparation de minéraux

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EP4334038A1 true EP4334038A1 (fr) 2024-03-13

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CN (1) CN117295557A (fr)
AU (1) AU2022268510A1 (fr)
CA (1) CA3214482A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2606379A (fr)
WO (1) WO2022233586A1 (fr)

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CN108014901B (zh) * 2017-12-18 2019-08-02 江西九岭新能源有限公司 锂瓷石矿石提取锂云母的工艺
CN108057513A (zh) * 2017-12-20 2018-05-22 江西九岭新能源有限公司 含锂伟晶花岗岩废石提取钾长石精矿和铁锂云母精矿的方法
CN108525843A (zh) * 2018-04-19 2018-09-14 江西金辉再生资源股份有限公司 利用难处理矿山固废物回收钽铌、锂云母及长石粉的方法
US20220258177A1 (en) * 2019-07-03 2022-08-18 Fortescue Metals Group Ltd Method for the beneficiation of iron ore streams

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