Abstract:
Water scarcity and the environmental impact caused by tailings dams have aroused interest in mining in dry mineral beneficiation processes. In the context of phosphate processing, especially in Brazil, the adoption of dry concentration technologies is even more necessary, as many reserves are in semi-arid regions. The present work aimed to evaluate the susceptibility to the tribo-electrostatic separation of seven ores, originating from six different countries. In this way, the ores were characterized chemically and MINERALOGICALLY, and tested in the tribo-electrostatic separator on a bench scale. IT WAS POSSIBLE TO CONCLUDE THAT ORES FROM IGNEOUS ROCKS HAD A BETTER P2O5 CONCENTRATION PERFORMANCE BASED ON THE RESULTS OBTAINED compared to sedimentary rock ores. IT WAS EVIDENT THAT CARBONATES' PRESENCE CAN NEGATIVELY INTERFERE WITH SEPARATION and the processing of simpler mineralogy should be prioritized. Overall, tribo-electrostatic separation has proven to be a solution for phosphate processing, replacing conventional technologies or as a complement to existing processes.