Hard to choose bauxite comprehensive utilization of "odd" trick

“Through continuous and in-depth research in recent years, the new types of collectors and additives independently researched and developed by the Chengdu Institute of Comprehensive Utilization of Minerals have a good selectivity and a strong collection ability, and the fine-grained aluminum minerals form a strong hydrophobic agglomeration, making it difficult for us 10 years ago. The beneficiation bauxite mine in Chongqing has successfully achieved ore dressing and desiliconization.” At the recent review and acceptance meeting organized by Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Land and Resources and Housing, Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Finance, and Chongqing Institute of Geological Survey, Chinalco’s chief Engineer Gu Songqing commented.

The reserves of bauxite in the Chongqing area are abundant. It has been ascertained that the reserve of bauxite resources is 1981.15 million tons, and that of the bauxite ore industry is 129.905 million tons. Bauxite is mainly dominated by medium-to-high-sulfur medium-to-low grade ore, and there are fewer ore deposits, and the ore grade is general. The bauxite ore is dominated by hard boehmite. Bauxite contains relatively rare and rare elements such as lanthanum and cerium. Some of the deposits also contain lithium, vanadium, etc., and are calculated as reserves of 100 million tons of bauxite ore. The resources of the crickets and crickets are enormous. At present, Chongqing mainly uses high-grade bauxite, and the research on the use of low-grade bauxite is relatively low. Only some units have conducted research work, but the experimental results are not particularly satisfactory.

According to a person in charge of a bauxite company in Chongqing, the bauxite ore concentrate in Chongqing has a low aluminium-silica ratio and the recovery rate of alumina is not high. The flotation and desilication indicators are not satisfactory and they have to choose energy consumption. High "tandem method" process.

In view of the poor bauxite resources in Chongqing, the high cost of alumina production, and the low utilization rate of bauxite resources, the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Finance and the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Land Resources and Housing entrusted the National Research Institute of Mineral Resources and Comprehensive Utilization of China He undertook the project "Research on the Comprehensive Utilization of Bauxite in Aluminum Bauxite in Chongqing Area". Through the development and research of new metallurgical technologies, new processes, and new chemicals, the project will ensure the efficient use of aluminum resources and enable the comprehensive utilization of the valuable elements such as plutonium and yttrium in the ore to achieve low grades in Chongqing. The efficient use of bauxite (aluminum-silicon ratio of 3 to 4) has enhanced the value of similar low-grade bauxite resources in the region and provided technical support for the sustainable development of the aluminum industry in the region.

The search for efficient desiliconization products is at the heart of the development of new low-grade bauxite mining technologies. The Chengdu Comprehensive Institute bauxite mining and metallurgy project group took a year to study the bauxite deposits at the Dafoyan and Zhaojiba deposits in Chongqing and adopted the “reverse flotation desulphurization-positive flotation desilication-Bayer process”. Sodium aluminate mother liquor extraction and red mud extraction technology was carried out. A large number of laboratories and expansion of metallurgical trials were carried out. On this basis, a preliminary economic analysis of the metallurgical technology was carried out.

The self-developed floating sulphur foaming agent 1# and activator EM550 and floating aluminum collector EM505 were used in the test, which improved the low-grade bauxite utilization process, and the independent research and development of floating sulphur activated activators resulted in remarkable results and high-efficiency bauxite mining. The collection capacity and selectivity of collectors are good, and they are more adaptable to the use of low-grade bauxite in Chongqing, making it possible to successfully achieve beneficiation and desilication of Chongqing bauxite mines that were difficult to be ore-dressed 10 years ago. The results of the smelting and metallurgical trials all exceeded the technical specifications specified in the contract: For low-grade bauxite mines with an aluminum to silicon ratio of 3 to 4, a bauxite concentrate with an aluminum-silicon ratio of ≥7 was obtained, and the alumina recovery rate was 60 %~80%; the concentration of alumina in the Bayer process of concentrates is ≥80%; the rate of recovery of metallurgy and concrete 钪≥60%, 镓≥70%.

The preliminary analysis of the economics of the metallurgical industry shows that the processing of 2 million tons of mineral processing plant can annually produce 1.184 million tons of aluminum concentrate. The test achieved the research objectives and achieved technological breakthroughs, laying the technical foundation for the industrial utilization of the high-sulfur, low-grade, and difficult-to-use bauxite minerals in Chongqing.