Tungsten ore beneficiation process flow chart

The beneficiation process for tungsten ore involves several steps and can vary depending on the ore's characteristics. Here is a general flow chart outlining the typical tungsten ore beneficiation process:

1. Mining and Crushing: Tungsten ore is mined through conventional underground or open-pit methods. The ore is then crushed into smaller pieces using jaw crushers or cone crushers to facilitate further processing.

2. Grinding and Classification: The crushed ore is further ground into fine particles through grinding mills. This process helps to liberate the valuable tungsten minerals from the gangue materials. After grinding, the ore slurry is classified using screens or hydrocyclones to separate the desired particle sizes.

3. Gravity Separation: Gravity separation techniques, such as jigging or shaking tables, are commonly used in tungsten ore beneficiation. These methods rely on the difference in density between the tungsten minerals and the gangue minerals. The heavy tungsten particles settle to the bottom while the lighter gangue materials are removed, resulting in a tungsten concentrate.

4. Magnetic Separation: In some cases, magnetic separation is employed to further upgrade the tungsten concentrate. Magnetic separators are used to remove magnetic minerals or impurities that may be present in the concentrate, improving its purity and quality.

5. Flotation: Flotation is another important process in tungsten ore beneficiation, especially for scheelite ore. It involves the use of chemicals and air bubbles to selectively separate the tungsten minerals from the gangue. Collectors, frothers, and modifiers are added to the flotation cells to aid in the separation process. The resulting tungsten concentrate is further processed for purification.

6. Dewatering and Concentrate Handling: The final tungsten concentrate undergoes dewatering to remove excess water. This can be achieved using thickeners, filters, or centrifuges. The dewatered concentrate is then transported and stored for further processing or sale.

7. Smelting and Refining: In some cases, the tungsten concentrate may undergo smelting and refining processes to obtain pure tungsten metal or its compounds. This involves high-temperature treatments and chemical reactions to remove impurities and produce the desired final product.

It's important to note that the specific beneficiation process for tungsten ore can vary depending on the ore grade, mineralogy, and desired final products. Therefore, it's crucial to conduct thorough ore characterization and test work to determine the most suitable beneficiation approach for a particular tungsten ore deposit.