V. I. Rostovtsev

Justification and development of innovative technologies for integrated processing of complex ore and mine waste

The article presents the theoretical and experimental research findings aimed to create a basis for the development of innovative integrated processing technologies for complex ore and mine waste. It is found that introduction of nonmechanical energy treatment by an accelerated electron beam in the ore dressing circuits increases rebellious mineral processing data. The features of a flotation unit process are analyzed from the viewpoint of improvement of collecting and selecting abilities of a reagent and relationship between these abilities and molecular structure of the reagent. The authors define flotation activity of reagents and offer a flotation contact formation criterion. It is proved to be effective and promising to use magnesium- and manganese-bearing minerals for sorption purification of mine effluents in order to reduce metal loss in the wastewater discharge and to minimize damage of natural water bodies.

Radiation Thermal Stresses in Minerals and Their Role in Magnetite Quartzite Beneficiation

The results are presented for investigations into dynamics of thermal stresses arising in minerals under the action of accelerated electrons and determining the technological indices of grinding and beneficiation. Using magnetite quartzites as an example, it is shown that due to change in strength properties of minerals during radiation treatment the relative grinding coefficient of ore increases by a factor of 1.4–1.8, while the content of iron in concentrate and beneficiation efficiency raise by 0.6–1.3% and 0.9–3.0%, respectively, with simultaneous reduction in iron losses in the tailings by 0.4–1.3%.

Technological and economic effect of nonmechanical energy use in rebellious mineral processing

Based on the nonmechanical energy deposition tests aimed at intensification of destruction and processing of rebellious minerals, it is found that mineral treatment by accelerated electron flow enhances technological performance of mineral processing and is cost-effective: metal extraction grows by 27% and processing performance is enhanced 2.2 times.

Intensifying the Beneficiation of Norilsk Copper-Nickel Ores by Energy Effects

It is established experimentally that radiation treatment of Cu-Ni ore permits directed change in the granulometric composition of the comminution products, with simultaneous increase in the mineral opening coefficient by a factor of 1.5-2 and improvement of the technological beneficiation characteristics. In the Cu-Ni flotation cycle, the extraction of copper and nickel increases by 7.8 and 19.2%, respectively, with 1.5-fold reduction in the losses of these metals.

Analysis of different-type mechanical effects on selectivity of mineral dissociation

The authors have tested effect of mechanical impact type and energy on selectivity of spodumene ore breakage in a disintegrator and in vibratory and ball mills in terms of pegmatite with lithium content of 0.1%. It is shown that the highest efficiency of mineral dissociation is achieved in disintegration by free impact. Analysis of grain-size distribution and chemical composition and the X-ray study also reveal advantage of the disintegration process, which allows higher content and recovery of lithium in concentrate at reduced sliming.

Phase conversions in sulfide ores on combined irradiation and heating

Results are given on how irradiation and heat treatment affect sulfide ores and minerals. Accelerated-electrons produce low-temperature phase conversions in iron-bearing sulfides, which give magnetic oxides; hematite and magnetite. This effect can be used in ecologically clean technologies for beneficiating rebellious mineral raw material.

Strength research of rock cores after high-energy electron beam irradiation

The data of experimental research into mechanical properties of limestone, hornfels and sandstone cores after treatment by accelerated electrons show that the irradiation changes the strength and deformation characteristics of the tested rocks. In limestone and hornfels, uniaxial compression strength and elasticity modulus decrease, and ratio of P- and S- wave velocities changes; in sandstone tensile strength decreases, while uniaxial compression strength, P- and S-wave velocities and dynamic Young’s modulus grow. Modification of the minerals after accelerated electron irradiation opens ways of creating efficient energy-saving technologies for pre-treatment and processing of complex ores.

Magnetization of minerals by radiation and heating and its prospects in mineral processing

The article presents data of experimental studies into magnetic properties of iron-bearing sulfide and nonsulfide minerals under radiation and heating. It is found that bulk magnetic susceptibility has increased more than 100 times in pyrite and 6 times in bauxite ore. Usefulness of radiation-and-heating magnetization in modification and processing of bauxite and tin-bearing minerals is demonstrated.

Intensification of Complex Ore Grinding and Opening by Hydropercussive and Cavitational Actions

The perspectives of new hydropercussive-cavitational method for ore preparation are shown by the example of poorly concentratable Cu-Ni and rare-metal ores.

Prospects of radiation-thermal treatment of wastes of Novosibirsk Tin Works

The experimental test data on magnetic properties of the waste iron-containing mineral materials under radiation-thermal treatment are presented. It is found that the volume magnetic susceptibility of pyrite- and arsenopyrite-containing wastes has increased 5 times on the average. The authors demonstrate that radiation-thermal magnetization and magnetic separation allows production of KOS-3 grade tin concentrate meeting fuming process requirements from wastes of Novosibirsk Tin Works.