Research about enrichment of fine tailings with flotation column in Emet Espey Boron Plant

Fine boron tailings (-3mm) has been stored in waste pool in the Eti Bor A.Ş. Emet Bor Espey Concentrator. This waste pool , being filled day by day, creates problems consisted with environmental view and pollution and they also have a negative impact on operational costs. In this waste pool, B2O3 content has a high percentage like 26,33 %. For the aim of minimizing this loss and gain it from the econmical aspects, an appropriate enrichment method is needed to be determined. Consequently, these negative impacts will be reduced by gaining this tailings. In this study, for solving boron enrichment problem in waste pools, two gradual enrichment methods have been designed and experimentally studied.According to results of the study which involves mechanical admixture, chemical dispensation, classifacation in the fraction of +150 ?m, a concentration with the grade of 42,2 % B2O3 has been achieved with 68,68 % efficiency. Column flotation experiments have been applied to -150µm size because of the failure in the expreriments under these fractions and there could not get any appropriate economical enrichment value in the concentration grades. Consequently, in the second stage, flotation method has been applied to -150µm size fraction and in flotation experiments, Flotation Column, which has high performance on fine boron residues, has been used. In the experiments, fractions of -38 µm size are removed because of the negative effects of the shudge. For finding appropriate flotation conditions, collector and frothing material dosage, superficial tailing rate, superficial air rate, superficial wash water rate, bias factor, solid ratio and shudge effect factors? effects on efficiency and grade have been searched. In appropriate flotation conditions, the concentration with the grade of 45,9 % B2O3 has been procured with of efficiency of 99,86 % .