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Zircon is an important industrial mineral, which can be used in the manufacture of ceramics, refractory materials and refractory bricks, as well as in the nuclear and electronic industries. In the process of ore processing, the beneficiation methods commonly used for zircon include gravity separation, magnetic separation, and electric separation. Depending on the origin and composition of the ore, different extraction and separation methods may be employed to obtain high-quality zircon and other useful minerals. This article mainly introduces the zircon ore gravity separation process.
Pretreatment Stage of Zircon Ore Gravity Separation
Zircon pretreatment mainly includes ore crushing, grinding, classifying process. The main purpose is to dissociate most zircon from gangue minerals and improve the efficiency of subsequent gravity separation.
Zircon ore crushing process: the raw zircon ore enters the crusher and is crushed into smaller particles to prepare for subsequent grinding. The crushed zircon ore is screened, the oversize returns to the crushing stage for further crushing, and the undersize enters the grinding stage.
Zircon ore grinding process: the crushed zircon ore is further ground into fine powder. The grinding process uses various grinding equipment such as ball mills, rod mills or autogenous mills. Grinding helps liberate zircon minerals from host rock impurities and increases surface area for subsequent processing.
After grinding, the finely ground zircon ore is classified to separate the finer particles from the coarser ones. Classifying can be achieved using techniques such as spiral classifiers or hydrocyclones. This step helps ensure that the particle size distribution is suitable for the gravity separation process.
Zircon ore gravity separation process
Zircon ore gravity separation process is a process of separating valuable zircon minerals from other heavy minerals or impurities in zircon ore by using the principle of gravity separation. It is suitable for minerals with weight difference in zircon ore, such as the separation between zircon and other heavy minerals.
According to the properties and particle size of zircon ore, select the appropriate gravity separation equipment. Common gravity equipment includes jigs, spiral chutes, shakers, etc. During gravity separation, the pretreated zircon ore is sent to gravity separation equipment. During the separation process, different minerals in the ore are separated according to their density differences. Heavier minerals, such as zircon, settle faster or are concentrated, while lighter impurities are washed away or dispersed.
Due to the gravity concentrate obtained from the gravity separation equipment may still contain a certain amount of impurities. Therefore, subsequent finishing operations such as re-cleaning, re-gravity or sieving may be required to further improve the grade and purity of the zircon concentrate.
Thickening and dewatering of zircon ore gravity separation
Zircon ore thickening process: Zircon ore slurry is sent to the center of the thickener. As the slurry moves radially outward in the thickener, solid zircon particles settle to the bottom, forming a dense slurry or "underflow". At the same time, clarified water rises to the top and is removed as overflow. To facilitate the continuous thickening process, the thickener is equipped with a slowly rotating scraper mechanism that slowly scrapes the deposited solids towards the center of the tank. This helps keep the solids concentration in the underflow steady. The concentrated zircon slurry or underflow exits the bottom of the thickener and is collected for further processing or transportation. It may be sent for filtration and drying to produce a marketable zircon concentrate.
Zircon ore dehydration process: The water in the underflow of the thickener needs to be further removed, so the ore ore will be sent to the dehydration equipment for dehydration. The dehydration equipment that can be used includes filter presses, filters, etc.
The above is the gravity separation process of zircon ore. The specific process and equipment selection should be determined according to the ore characteristics and production requirements. In order to improve the beneficiation efficiency and concentrate recovery rate, Xinhai Mining suggested to conduct a beneficiation test to determine the physical and chemical properties of the ore, and then customize the zircon ore beneficiation process. Xinhai Mining can provide you with "Turn-key Service for Mineral Processing Plant (EPC+M+O)", from ore composition analysis, mineral beneficiation process design, complete equipment manufacturing, installation and commissioning to management and operation, we can provide you with one-stop ore dressing plant service, welcome to leave a message for consultation.
