PROCESSING OF MINERAL DEPOSITS

摘要

A process for the recovery of zircon from a particulate zircon-containing material. The process involves contacting the zircon-containing material with a soap solution followed by at least one water wash and at least one acid wash. The acid washed product is then subjected to flotation whereby zircon is floated. The feed material to the process may be a pre-concentrate which is produced by flotation. In a further aspect of the invention titanium containing minerals which are depressed during the zircon flotation stage may be recovered by flotation using an anionic collector such as carboxylate, phosphonate or sulphonated fatty acid. A sulphosuccinamate is preferred.