Effects of ultrasound on desliming prior to feldspar flotation

Abstract

In this study, the effects of ultrasound on removal of impurities from raw feldspar were investigated by testing with a newly developed flotation cell with various frequency and power intensities prior to multistage feldspar flotation. Particularly, the quality of feldspar concentrates, the volume of removed slimes and the content of impurities were taken into account to reveal the impacts. Two representative feldspar ore samples taken from the Milas-Mugla region in Turkey were separately tested for desliming and flotation by conventional and ultrasonic methods under similar conditions and the results were compared to each other in terms of the quantity and the quality of the removed slimes and the final feldspar flotation concentrate. As a result, during desliming stage by using ultrasound, the volume of removed slimes was reduced by approximately 45% when compared to the conventional slime removal methods. Moreover, the impurity contents were doubled inside slimes when ultrasound was used. These outcomes lead to significant success in terms of reducing losses during the desliming stage and production of high quality feldspar concentrates by froth flotation assisted by ultrasound.