Simulation of Pyrrhotite Removal from Scheelite Ore by Magnetic Force in Table Concentration

Scheelite ore with heavy and magnetic minerals can be generally concentrated using shaking table centered gravity-magnetic processing. When magnetic field is formed by fixing magnetic bars on which permanent magnets are arranged at a constant interval, above the table desk, heavy scheelite particles can be concentrated by gravity, whereas heavy magnetic mineral particles can be floated off like light mineral particles by upward magnetic force. In this paper, concentration of scheelite and removal of pyrrhotite floated by magnetic force was simulated using CFD for the sample containing 1% scheelite and 2% pyrrhotite, and compared with the experiment. As a result, WO3 grade and separation efficiency of concentrate were 65.3% and 80.1%, respectively, in the new table equipped with magnetic bars, whereas 28.4% and 76.5%, respectively, in conventional table. The magnetic field formed by fixing magnetic bars above table could be significant in simplifying the sequential tabling-magnetic separation process and reducing the loss of scheelite.