Mineral separation sequence depends on the floatability of the minerals and symbiotic relationship between ores. Common separation processes include the following:
(1) Selective flotation flow sheet. The process can recover useful minerals according to the difference of mineral floatability. For example, in the mixed flotation of Cu, Pb, Zn, S, we can select Pb and restrict Zn first, and then activate and select Zn. It is suitable for coarse grain and rich ore.
(2) Collective flotation flow sheet. Which is also called mixed flotation process. It first emerges all useful ore together, and then separates them gradually. This is a common polymetallic sulphide ore flotation process and applicable to the raw ore of low grade, mineral density symbiosis, and similar floatability. Under whose effect, useful minerals are disseminated collectively, and we can get mixed concentrate and waste tailings by rough grinding. Compared with Selective flotation flow sheet, the process has the advantages of saving floating grinding equipment, reducing power consumption, saving medicine and infrastructure investment. But they are not prominent in treating rich ore. Disadvantages are the subsequent separation difficulty if given excessive catching agent in flotation, poor selection index if nature of the ore is complex and changeful.
(3) Partial mix-flotation. It first floats certain kinds of useful minerals, restrain other minerals, then activate and float restraint minerals. The earlier mixed concentrate has to be floated again, and then we get the qualified concentrate. However, we it shouldn’t be adopted when the floatability are not similar.
(4) Isoflotabity flowsheet. When a same mineral contain different floatability parts, we can use such process. Selection is according to floatability. In the flotation of main mineral, we can float the other parts of identical floatability first, and form mixed concentrate, then separate. This process can avoid problems like separation difficulty caused by strong inhibition and strong activation. Compared with selective flotation flow sheet, it reduces the dosage of the medicament, removes influence by excess drug and is beneficial to improving selection index.
