Example of recovery of tungsten and other non-metallic minerals from molybdenum tailings (Hechuan, Sichuan)

Henan Luanchuan Molybdenum Mine is a porphyritic granite, after the flotation tailings also contain molybdenum scheelite and other non-metallic mineral, magnetic - re-process re-election, obtaining grade 71.25%, 98.47% recovery of tungsten concentrate; then the tungsten tailings mainly potassium feldspar and quartz, respectively 40% and 33% of the amount of tailings, minerals to be very pure, after desliming by using flotation in an acidic medium The process (see Figure 1) treats the flotation tailings, selects a feldspar concentrate with a yield of 45% and a quartz concentrate with a yield of 33%, and then uses magnetic separation to remove iron and then use it as a glass and ceramic raw material.

Figure 1 feldspar, quartz sorting process

The tailings after molybdenum molybdenum in the US Klemmas molybdenum ore contains WO ₃ 0.03%, pre-enriched with a spiral concentrator , de-sulphurized by re-flotation of the concentrate, and the shaker is selected to obtain 40% to 50% and 72% of WO ₃ The two tungsten concentrates make it not only one of the world's six major molybdenum mines, but also the second largest tungsten mine in the United States.