Mechanical characteristics of magnetite as a function of particle size during column-based magnetic separation

ABSTRACT

Column-based magnetic separation can concentrate magnetite while preventing magnetic particle agglomeration. Changes in the force characteristics during this process greatly affect the separation of different magnetite components. Here, the mechanical characteristics of magnetite with different particle sizes during column-based magnetic separation are studied. Upon reducing the particle size (passing 74 μm) from 45% to 90%, the magnetic force ($HgradH$) required to separate the magnetite concentrate gradually increased. The difference in the magnetic force required to capture magnetite concentrate and rich interlocking concentrate by a magnetic field decreased from 39.53% to 13.92%. The difference in the magnetic force required to capture lean interlocking concentrate and gangue minerals by a magnetic field decreased from 75.87% to 54.26%. Verification tests showed that pre-separating magnetite concentrate and gangue from individual coarse particles reduced the workload of subsequent grinding and separation, making it easier to separate magnetite from the concentrate.

KEYWORDS:

• Magnetic particles
• granularity
• compound force field
• low-intensity magnetic separation

Disclosure statement

We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled “Mechanical characteristics of magnetite as a function of particle size during column-based magnetic separation.”

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the Xingliao Yingcai Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talent Project (XLYC2002028) and by the Scientific Research Project of the Liaoning Provincial Department of Education (2017LNQN21) and by the Open Foundation of the Academician Workstation of the University of Science and Technology Liaoning (USTLYSG201802).