Research into the Recovery of High-Grade Rare-Earth Concentrate from Baotou Complex Iron Ore, China

摘要

The Baotou complex iron ore is rich in rare-earth elements. The main rare-earth minerals are bastnaesite and monazite finely intergrown with fluorite, barite and iron minerals. The results of research into the flotation recovery of high-grade rare-earth concentrate from a bulk froth of salt minerals are described. The mechanism of hydroxamic acid adsorption on bastnaesite and monazite is proposed based on flotation tests of pure minerals, infrared spectra and electrokinetic data. A flotation flowsheet has been developed for the recovery of a high-grade rare-earth concentrate with more than 68 percent rare-earth oxide from the Baotou complex iron ore.