Application of a Floatex density separator for iron recovery from Pilbara iron ore plant rejects

A Floatex density separator was used to reduce the silica and alumina contents of a low-grade iron ore plant reject sample from the Pilbara region in Western Australia to produce a high-quality iron ore concentrate suitable for use in sinter and pellet blends. From a -2.0 mm head sample containing 49.42 wt% Fe, 12.77 wt% SiO2 and 4.90 wt% Al2O3, a product of 56.66 wt% Fe (63.29 wt% Fe calcined) with 4.91 wt% SiO2 and 2.55 wt% Al2O3 was obtained with a mass recovery of 70%, an iron recovery of 80% and rejection of 72% silica and 58% alumina.

Automated summary

This study successfully reduced the silica and alumina contents of a low-grade iron ore plant reject sample from the Pilbara region in Western Australia using a Floatex density separator, and obtained a high-quality iron ore concentrate suitable for use in sinter and pellet blends.