ZHANG Yi-ye1，WANG Xiao-yu2, 3*，KANG Zhang-ke2，CUI Bao-yu2，LI Qiang4，NING Qin1

(1. Institute of mining technology, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin 123000, China;
2. School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110003, China;
3. BGRIMM Technology Group Co., Ltd., Beijing 100160, China;
4. Department of Safety and Emergency Management, Yantai Engineering and Technology College, Yantai 264006, China)

Abstract: As the grinding fineness of 95% of the ilmenite tailing from a concentrator is -0.074 mm, the ilmenite tailing belongs to the microparticl sized tailing whose dehydration is very difficult. In view of the problem for the slow sedimentation of the certain microparticl sized ilmenite tailings, in this paper, we have carried out the flocculant selection test, single-factor test and response surface test have calculated .the solid concentration, settling rate and ultimate undercurrent concentration at each settling time, have explored influences of the slurry concentration, flocculant concentration and unit consumption of flocculant on the flocculation and sedimentation of the tailing, and have optimized and predicted the target factors. The experimental results show that the APAM with 18 million molecular weight has the best flocculation and sedimentation effect. The single factor test shows that the best slurry concentration was 6%, the best flocculant concentration was 0.02%, and the best unit consumption of flocculant was 25 g/t. The optimal parameters of slurry concentration, flocculant concentration and unit consumption of flocculant were 5.58%, 0.02% and 24.19 g/t, respectively, and the maximum ultimate undercurrent concentration was 64.77%. On the basis of above tests, we have carried out three parallel validation tests, and obtained the average value of 64.71%, which was almost consistent with the predicted results, for the ultimate undercurrent concentration. The parameters obtained through this experimental process had certain reliability, and can be provided as the base for the selection of parameters for processing the microparticle sized ilmenite tailing.

Keywords: ilmenite tailing; flocculation and sedimentation; RSM-BBD; parameter optimization

ACTA MINERALOGICA SINICA Vol. 43, No. 4, 2023, Page 425