How to beneficiate spodumene and beryl?

Both spodumene and beryl belong to aluminosilicate minerals, and they often coexist in pegmatite deposits. They are non-magnetic minerals with similar densities, and their specific gravity is not much different from gangue minerals. Therefore, gravity separation and magnetic None of the selection methods can separate the two well, so the flotation method is generally used.

The flotation separation of spodumene and beryl also has two methods: preferential flotation and mixed flotation.

priority flotation

The priority flotation method of spodumene and beryl can be divided into three processes according to the order of flotation, namely, priority flotation of spodumene, second selection of beryl, priority flotation of beryl, second flotation of spodumene, priority A part of lithium is flotation, then lithium and beryllium are mixed and then separated.

Prioritize flotation of spodumene, then select beryl: Use sodium fluoride and lignin sulfonate to suppress beryl and gangue, first float out spodumene, and then use sodium hydroxide and sulfide to remove the tailings after flotation Sodium and ferric chloride activate beryl and inhibit gangue, and then float beryl.

Prioritize flotation of beryl and then flotation of spodumene: use inhibitors to inhibit spodumene in high alkali medium, use fatty acid to float beryl; flotation tailings are activated with sodium hydroxide, and float spodumene.

Preferential flotation of some lithium, followed by mixed separation of lithium and beryllium: first use fatty acid to preferentially float part of spodumene, then add calcium ions and sodium hydroxide to the flotation tailings for activation, and mix flotation to get spodumene- Beryl, the obtained mixed coarse concentrate is heated with sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, acid, and alkaline water glass to float out the beryl concentrate.

mixed flotation

The mixed flotation of spodumene and beryl is firstly stirred with hydrofluoric acid, and after the excessive acid is removed in the spiral classifier, sodium silicate, sodium hydroxide and oleic acid are added to enter the flotation, and the first roughing, three times Concentration to obtain lithium-beryllium mixed concentrate. Before the separation of lithium-beryllium mixed concentrate, it needs to be processed to remove mica feldspar and other impurities. The mixed concentrate after impurity removal is first roughed and twice-selected to select lithium Concentrate, beryllium concentrate is recovered after two rounds of beneficiation.

Spodumene and beryl are similar in many properties, and are similar to gangue minerals in buoyancy, so the flotation separation of spodumene and beryl is difficult. In actual production, according to the ore properties and composition Select the appropriate flotation agent and process according to the composition.