Selective flotation of bastnaesite from monazite in rare earth concentrates using potassium alum as depressant
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Electrokinetic and flotation studies were carried out on single particles of bastnaesite and monazite to develop a flotation scheme for selectively removing monazite in the rare earth bulk concentrate from the Baiyunebo mine, in China (60.7%25 rare earth oxides or REO, 75%25 as bastnaesite and 25%25 as monazite). Low additions of potassium alum were found to efficiently depress monazite at pH 5 without affecting the flotability of bastnaesite with the collector benzoic acid. The bulk concentrate was treated through this scheme, and 85%25 of the bastnaesite was recovered in a concentrate that assayed 69.5%25 REO and contained 97%25 bastnaesite. The depressing effect of potassium alum appeared to be due to the preferential adsorption of hydrolyzed aluminum species on monazite in comparison to bastnaesite. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.Electrokinetic and flotation studies were carried out on single particles of bastnaesite and monazite to develop a flotation scheme for selectively removing monazite in the rare earth bulk concentrate from the Baiyunebo mine, in China (60.7%25 rare earth oxides or REO, 75%25 as bastnaesite and 25%25 as monazite). Low additions of potassium alum were found to efficiently depress monazite at pH 5 without affecting the flotability of bastnaesite with the collector benzoic acid. The bulk concentrate was treated through this scheme, and 85%25 of the bastnaesite was recovered in a concentrate that assayed 69.5%25 REO and contained 97%25 bastnaesite. The depressing effect of potassium alum appeared to be due to the preferential adsorption of hydrolyzed aluminum species on monazite in comparison to bastnaesite.
