Process Mineralogy of a Lithium Ore in Africa

This is an article in the field of process mineralogy. The research degree of lithium ores abroad is low, and the ore not only has high lithium but also is associated with niobium, tantalum, rubidium, cesium and other beneficial elements. To realize the comprehensive utilization of ore resources, the process mineralogy of the ore was studied in detail. The chemical composition of the ore was ascertained by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and other chemical analysis methods. Using electron probe, X-ray diffraction analyzer, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), the distribution characteristics of the mineral were studied, especially the occurrence state of lithium. The results show that the main carrier of lithium in the ore is spodumene, followed by amblygonite, and the lithium in other minerals is unusable lithium wrapped and included. The element partitioning results show that the theoretical grade of lithium concentrate is 6.64% and the theoretical recovery is 74.98%. The mineralogical factors affecting the recovery index of mineral processing were analyzed, and the occurrence state of associated beneficial components was found, which provided the mineralogical theoretical support for the comprehensive utilization of mine resources.