Beneficiation of Fluorspar from Bhagatwali Mine, Rajasthan

A Sample of fluorspar received for beneficiation tests from Bhagatwali mine, in Rajasthan, assayed CaF2, 56.48; SiO2, 34.70;CaCO3, 3.58; Pb, 0.29; Fe2O3, 0.96; Al2O3, 2.46; and S,0.06 percent with traces of Ba, Zn, W and Cu. Quartz and feldspar were the principal gangue minerals in the sample. Fluorspar got fairly liberated at about 100 mesh. Optimum conditions for flotation of fluorspar have been determined for production of high grade of concentrate. Flotation employing (i) 1.5 lbs/ton of sodium silicate and 1.25 lbs/ton of sodium oleate emulsion at a pH of 7.2 as well as (ii) 1.5 lbs/ton of sodium silicate, 1.0lb/ton of collector and 1.0lb/ton of soda ash at a pH of 9.5 produced metallurgical grade of concentrates assaying 87.06% and 86.6% CaF2 with recoveries of 93.2 and 92.0% CaF2 respectively. Flotation employing warm water yielded the best results, the refloat concentrates obtained after one cleaning and four cleanings produced concentrates of grades 89.84% CaF2 and 97.66% CaF2 with recoveries of 91.2 and over 67.3% CaF2 respectively. The former could be used for metallurgical purposes and the latter for acid manufacture.