Recovery of Phosphate from Florida Operations Slimes.

Jordan-CE; Davis-BE; Lamont-WE; Sullivan-GV

1978 :9 pages

10009745

The Tuscaloosa Metallurgy Research Center, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is investigating the recovery of phosphate from beneficiation slime, as part of the Bureau of Mines efforts to conserve mineral resources through increased use of wastes. Phosphate equivalent to about two- fifths of U.S. production is discarded annually in the wastes. Exploratory flotation tests on the plus 5-um fraction of a slime sample showed promise for a classification-flotation technique. Onsite classification tests at six phosphate washing plants were conducted with a two-stage hydrocyclone system designed to recover the plus 5-um material. The cyclone underflows contained 8.3 To 19.1 percent p2o5, and the recovery of the plus 5-um p2o5 values ranged from 81 to 95 percent. The percent p2o5 recovery from the total slimes ranged from 38 to 48 percent. Batch-flotation studies are currently being conducted.

19780101

OP;

1978

OP 52-78

TURC;

1978 Ann. Fall Mtg., SME, AIME, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, 9/11-13/78, SME Preprint 78-B-340

AL; FL;