Alexander Brodt

Abstract:

Unlike most other metals, tungsten does not form rich ores. As known tungsten deposits are depleted, the profitability of tungsten production declines. The transition to underground processing of tungsten ores makes it possible to overcome this negative trend. To achieve this, tungsten ore is ground in a ball mill, flooded by a water-salt solution with an intermediate density between the valuable mineral and the waste rock. Thus, as the gangue components are released from the intergrowths with the valuable ore minerals, this ballast floats up, avoiding the energy cost of additional size reduction. After the separation products have been extracted, they are wringed out in a centrifuge and the last remnants of the liquid phase are regenerated from the wet surface. The water-salt solution, regenerated to its original density, is returned to the head of the process. As a working medium for carrying out such a process, aqueous-salt solutions based on heteropolytungstates are used.