A wet belt permanent high gradient magnetic separator for purification of non-metallic ores

• The WBHGMS operates on the principle of HGMS in an inclined thick slurry flow.
• The magnet and belt in WBHGMS are both uniquely designed to achieve separations.
• The WBHGMS is effective for removal of magnetic minerals from non-metallic ores.

A wet belt permanent high gradient magnetic separator (referred here as WBHGMS) was developed on the principle of HGMS in an inclined slurry flow of several centimeters thick. In this investigation, a pilot-scale WBHGMS separator was introduced and used to purify a quartz ore, to study the effect of key variables such as belt rotation speed and belt inclination angle on the separation performance. The results of investigation indicate that changes in the rotation speed and inclination angle as well as the rinsing water consumption have significant influences on the performance, and an increase in these variables increases the Fe2O3 grade but decreases the iron removal rate of non-magnetic product. When they are respectively optimized at 5 r/min, 5° and 8.3 L/min, it produced a non-magnetic product assaying 0.0166% Fe2O3 at an iron removal rate of 43.97% (nearly 95% for magnetic minerals) from the ore assaying 0.0359% Fe2O3; such a separation performance correlates well with the industrial operation of full-scale WBHGMS separators in purifying the ore. This pilot-scale separator also produced a non-magnetic product assaying 0.041% Fe2O3 at an iron removal rate of 58.70% (nearly 96% for magnetic minerals) from a feldspar ore assaying 0.068% Fe2O3. It was concluded that this HGMS separator has provided an effective method for the removal of magnetic impurities from non-metallic ores.

Figure effect of belt rotation speed on performance.Mnm-mass weight of non-magnetic product, IRnm-iron removal rate of non-magnetic product.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide