Comparison of Core Flotation Processes for White Tungsten Ore and Novel Reagent Technologies

As a vital strategic mineral resource, the efficient separation of white tungsten ore remains a subject of significant interest. Flotation stands as the most prevalent and effective beneficiation technique for white tungsten ore. With the depletion of high-grade white tungsten ore resources, low-grade, complex and difficult-to-process white tungsten ores have become the primary focus of development, imposing heightened demands on flotation processes.

I. Heated Flotation: Optimisation and Advancement of a Classic Process

Heated flotation (Petrov method) represents a mature process for treating high-calcium gangue-type white tungsten ore. This technique achieves efficient separation by heating the rough concentrate to 80-90°C and vigorously agitating it with water glass, exploiting the differential desorption rates of calcium-bearing gangue and white tungsten ore surface collectors.

Recent years have witnessed significant breakthroughs in energy conservation and emissions reduction for this process:

Combining multiple inhibitors replaces single-agent water glass, substantially reducing reagent consumption;

A novel staged collector addition technique effectively counteracts the adverse effects of excess water glass;

Innovative ambient-temperature dilution flotation eliminates 3–4 washing stages, achieving substantial energy savings.

II. Ambient Temperature Flotation: An Economically Efficient Alternative

Ambient temperature flotation demonstrates unique advantages when processing quartz gangue-type white tungsten ore. By optimising reagent regimes—employing combined inhibitors and mixed collectors—this process maintains separation efficacy while substantially reducing operational costs and energy consumption.

However, ambient-temperature flotation remains sensitive to variations in ore properties, with separation indices prone to fluctuation. To address this, researchers have developed a series of novel reagent systems. By precisely matching the ore's physicochemical characteristics, these systems effectively enhance process stability.

III. Innovative Processes: Cutting-Edge Technologies Addressing Resource Challenges

For low-grade and ultrafine-grained white tungsten ores, two innovative processes demonstrate outstanding performance:

Lime Method: Breaking conventional wisdom, a combined reagent system of lime and sodium carbonate exhibits exceptional selectivity in skarn-type white tungsten ore separation, yielding a rough concentrate with approximately 10% WO₃ grade directly from the roughing stage.

Fine-grain flotation technology: Employing hydrophobic agglomeration principles alongside surface modification and interfacial control techniques, this method effectively resolves recovery challenges for white tungsten ore finer than -800 mesh. Technologies including carrier flotation, shear flocculation flotation, and oil agglomeration flotation have achieved industrial application.

With technological advancements, white tungsten ore flotation is progressing towards greater efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability, providing robust support for the sustainable development and utilisation of tungsten resources.