Study on a new technology of separating refractory fine scheelite and wolframite sediments

In a mine of Jiangxi province,the distribution rates of WO3 in fine tungsten sediments(70% with particle sizes less than 30 μm) such as scheelite,wolfmirate and tungstite are 45.03%,53.01% and 1.69%,respectively.By the adoption of Na2CO3,modified Na2SiO3 and Pb(NO3)2 as adjustor,TA-4 as collector,a roughing process was performed for the scheelite and wolfmirate,followed by a heating concentration and separation one,a scheelite concentrate was obtained after the acid leaching of the froth of the mixed ore,and a wolfmirate concentrate was obtained after the table concentration of the heating concentrated tailings.The test result indicates that the adequate addition of Na2CO3 has direct effect on the floatation of scheelite and wolfmirate mixed concentrate.The key to increase the tungsten concentration indexes is to adopt a new type collector TA-4,and the addition of NTA during the concentration also benefits the separtation of scheelite and wolfmirate.For the fine tungsten sediments,at a feed grade of 0.2% WO3,a scheelite concentrate and a wolfmirate one with the grades of 59.55% WO3 and 36.62% WO3 respectively,and the recovery of 47.21% and 19.53% respectively are obtained,the average grade of the tungsten concentrate is 50.60% WO3,and the total recovery is 66.74%.