Beneficiation of Calcitic Fluorspar from Matamagri deposit, Rajasthan

Abstract

A Sample of low grade Calcitic fluorspar from Matamagri deposit in Dungarpur Dt., Rajasthan, received for beneficiation assayed 26.9% CaF2, 27.0% CaCO3, 45.0% SiO2, 1.13% Al2O3, 0.70% Fe2O3, 0.03% Pb and 0.2% S. Quartz and calcitic constituted the main gangue in the sample. Straight flotation of fluorspar followed by three cleanings, yielded a metallurgical grade of concentrate assaying 90.93% CaF2, 7.05% CaCO3 and 1.14% SiO2 with 74.8% CaF2 recovery. This indicated that a flotation plant installed in Rajasthan for a siliceous type of fluorspar, can efficiently treat a Calcitic type as well, for production of metallurgical grade of concentrate, but under slightly different floatation conditions. Heavy media separation of the -3/4 + 10 mesh sample at 2.65 specific gravity rejected 50.1% by weight of the ore in the float in which the elimination of CaCO3 was 70.4%; the loss of fluorspar was 9.7% only. Flotation performed with the sink after mixing with the -10 mesh untreated fraction, employing the same reagent combination, yielded a reflect concentrate assaying 92.35% CaF2,4.8% CaCO3, 1.14% SiO2 with 73.2% CaF2 recovery.