PROCESS FOR OBTAINING APATITE CONCENTRATES BY FLOTATION

The present invention, named Bunge/Fosfertil process, is applicable at different lithologies of phosphate ore with carbonated-silica matrix from igneous and sedimentary sources, i.e., consists of comminutioning the ore by crushing, homogenization, milling and disliming, prior to the apatite flotation. The dislimed and milled ore pulp with solids concentration above 40%, being initially conditioned with a depressor reactant, a vegetable source polymer gelled with sodium hydroxide solution; and subsequently, submitted to a conditioning with a scavenger reactant of the sulphosuccinate or sulphosuccinamate groups. This pulp conditioned with reactants goes to the apatite flotation in a circuit comprising the “rougher”, “scavenger”, “cleaner” and “recleaner” steps. In all steps of the circuit flotation the carbon dioxide gas may be added up to saturation of such gas in the temperature and pressure conditions of the pulp. The system to generate bubbles for flotation works independently, being feed with atmospheric air for the self-aspirated machines or compressed air for the flotation cells with air insufflations and notation columns. The final concentrate of apatite is the flotated portion of the last cleaning step of the flotation circuiut.

The present invention, named Bunge/Fosfertil process, is applicable at different lithologies of phosphate ore with carbonated-silica matrix from igneous and sedimentary sources, i.e., consists of comminutioning the ore by crushing, homogenization, milling and disliming, prior to the apatite flotation. The dislimed and milled ore pulp with solids concentration above 40%, being initially conditioned with a depressor reactant, a vegetable source polymer gelled with sodium hydroxide solution; and subsequently, submitted to a conditioning with a scavenger reactant of the sulphosuccinate or sulphosuccinamate groups. This pulp conditioned with reactants goes to the apatite flotation in a circuit comprising the “rougher”, “scavenger”, “cleaner” and “recleaner” steps. In all steps of the circuit flotation the carbon dioxide gas may be added up to saturation of such gas in the temperature and pressure conditions of the pulp. The system to generate bubbles for flotation works independently, being feed with atmospheric air for the self-aspirated machines or compressed air for the flotation cells with air insufflations and notation columns. The final concentrate of apatite is the flotated portion of the last cleaning step of the flotation circuiut.