Laboratory Testing & General Mineral Processing Engineering

Laboratory Testing & General Mineral Processing Engineering

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Remove Mica Flakes (6 replies)

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Anyone have experience at removing flake mica from small scale (10-20tph ROM), after scrubber, before jig. I once saw a (South African) machine to do this, called a 'reverse spiral classifier'. A drum, 1.5 or 2m in diameter, 3-4m in length, with a flat bar welded inside in the form of a spiral. Flake mica was removed from the feed end, clean gravels/sand at the discharge end. Any ideas on who can make such a unit? Or any other idea to prevent mica entering into the jig.

Bob Mathias
8 years ago
Bob Mathias 8 years ago

You are describing a standard spiral classifier (with a reverse screw): Several people make them to include METSO (the old Denver classifier), and FL Schmidt (WEMCO) and McLanahan. There are several others on the market.

If you have special needs, most good fab shops could knock one together, they are not complicated. http://is.gd/Q8x8qT

Oberfuhrer
8 years ago
Oberfuhrer 8 years ago

I have had some experience in mica removal with a hydrocyclone. Depending on size x mineralogy of the feed, I have used hydraulic elutriation to separate coarser mica from streams. Associated with this potentially screen to recover mica from fines stream.

Amar
8 years ago
Amar 8 years ago

You say it is flake mica; then you are using scrubber to be followed by Jigging please let me know why a scrubber and also the other minerals present.

My suggestion is use the screw, maybe 250 a 325 mesh, after scrubber, if you have a possible make the screening before scrubber.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Depending on the iron level in the mica (is it biotite? muscovite?) you could use a high gradient magnetic separator. It will separate other iron bearing minerals in the process as well, so I don't know if that is detrimental to your process.

S
Standartenfurer
8 years ago
Standartenfurer 8 years ago

Up current classification is the most likely method of separating particles based on demarcation of size, shape or density. Prior size classification via screens or sieves is recommended. All the mineral grains must be release for successful application of this technology.

Helena Russell
8 years ago
Helena Russell 8 years ago

I agree with you, up-current classification is likely to produce the most consistent results. Get in contact with Nagrom in Western Australia as they have done a lot of work removing mica from spodumene.

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