Feasibility Study on Apatite Recovery from Iron Ore Beneficiation Tailings Using Flotation Process

Rajabi, Mohadeseh; Pourghahramani, Parviz

doi:10.22059/ijmge.2025.395656.595260

Feasibility Study on Apatite Recovery from Iron Ore Beneficiation Tailings Using Flotation Process

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Mining Engineering Department, Tabriz University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran.

10.22059/ijmge.2025.395656.595260

Abstract

With phosphorus demand for fertilizers and pharmaceuticals increasing and high-grade deposits diminishing, this study surveys the feasibility of recovering apatite from iron ore beneficiation tailings of the Sangan Company in Yazd Province, Iran, as a secondary resource. Optimization of the direct flotation process was examined through a full factorial experimental design considering collector dosage, pH, starch dosage, and sodium silicate dosage, with data processed by the Umetrics MODDE software and a multiple linear regression (MLR) model. The direct flotation process was designed to separate apatite; however, due to the surface similarities between apatite and carbonate minerals, such as calcite and dolomite, efficient separation could not be achieved, making an additional reverse flotation step necessary to remove carbonate minerals. To this end, the direct flotation concentrate underwent acid scrubbing to remove adsorbed collectors and was prepared with a mixture of phosphoric and sulfuric acids to depress apatite, followed by reverse flotation with sodium oleate as the collector at pH 4.5. Reverse flotation yielded a final concentrate exceeding 30% P₂O₅ content and 70% recovery. These findings show that these tailings can be processed as an apatite source, offering an economic resource while reducing tailings and reusing them for environmental preservation.

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