Flotation-Calcination-Magnetic Separation Hybrid Process for Concentration of Rare Earth Minerals Contained in a Carbonatite Ore

A hybrid process consisting of flotation and magnetic separation has been developed to concentrate multi-phase rare earth minerals associated with a carbonatite ore that contains a significant amount of niobium. The deposit is known to contain at least 15 different rare earth minerals identified as silicocarbonatite, magnesiocarbonatite, ferrocarbonatites, calciocarbonatite, REE/Nb ferrocarbonatite, phosphates and niobates. Although no collector exists to float all the different rare earth minerals, the hydroxamic acid-based collectors have shown adequate efficiency in floating most of these minerals. 92% recovery of total rare earth oxide (TREO) and niobium in 45% mass was possible at d80 of <65 microns grind size. It was also possible to reduce the mass pull to 28%, but TREO and Nb’s recovery dropped to 85%. Calcination of the concentrate followed by quenching and fine grinding to <25 μm allowed upgrading the flotation concentrate by magnetic separation. It was demonstrated that at least 87% TREO and 85% Nb could be recovered in 16% of the feed mass. The paper discusses the overall concept of the flowsheet and the experimental strategies that led to this process.