Study on slime-containing potash ores flotation separate technic
含泥钾矿浮选分离技术研究

The slime-containing potash ores of Qinghai salt lake were studied from two aspects, properties of potash ore and flotation desliming technic, properties of potash ore and flotation desliming technic. The chemical compositions and structural characteristics of the slime-containing potash ores were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscope. Factors which influence the desliming of potash ores by flotation were investigated. In the flotation, octadecylamine and kerosene were selected as floating agents. The results showed that more than 70% of the slimes were aluminium silicates which contained feldspar, caly, silty, calcium salt, etc. Most of slimes fill among the crystal particles of salt minerals or exist in micro-film structure. Slimes have high affinity for amine collectors, but they are badly flotated by octadecylamine (the flotation efficient was less than 1%). In the saturated brine, the desliming efficient of potash ores containing 20%~50% insolubles by kerosene was higher than 50%. This study can provide a powerful technical support for low grade potassium resource utilization.