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Beneficiation of Low-Grade Lithium Ores from Eastern Kazakhstan by Dense Media Separation (DMS) and Froth Flotation

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Rare Metal Technology 2024 (TMS 2024)

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Abstract

Lithium is one of the critical elements required for clean energy technology to achieve a carbon-neutral target. In this study, the beneficiation of a low-grade spodumene ore (0.3–0.6% Li2O) from Eastern Kazakhstan is investigated by dense medium separation (DMS) and froth flotation to obtain lithium concentrate. The main gangue minerals in the spodumene ore are feldspar, quartz and mica. The highest lithium grade in concentrate from DMS of 1000/+ 850 µm size fractions of the low-grade spodumene ore is achieved at approximately 5.7% from 0.6% (Li2O), with a recovery of about 90%. Furthermore, the spodumene ore is beneficiated by reverse flotation using NaOL and DAA as mixed collectors. The maximum lithium recovery of approximately 30% with the highest lithium grade of 1.0% was obtained from a low-grade spodumene ore under flotation condition of 1000 g/t NaOL/DAA, ratio of 1:5, pH 10. Conditioning the pulp with starch has little effect on the flotation recovery of lithium from low-grade spodumene ore improving lithium grade from 1.0 to 1.45%.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by Human Resources Development in the Mining Sector (KIZUNA program), Japan International Cooperation Agency. Also, this research was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI under grand number 23H01905.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Resource Engineering and Environmental Science, Faculty of International Resource Sciences, Mineral Processing & Extractive Metallurgy, Akita University, 1-1 Tegata-Gakuen Machi, Akita, 010-8502, Japan

    Daulet Sagzhanov, Junichiro Ito, Batnasan Altansukh, Labone L. Godirilwe, Sanghee Jeon, Kazutoshi Haga & Atsushi Shibayama

Authors
  1. Daulet Sagzhanov
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  2. Junichiro Ito
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  3. Batnasan Altansukh
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  4. Labone L. Godirilwe
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  5. Sanghee Jeon
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  6. Kazutoshi Haga
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  7. Atsushi Shibayama
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daulet Sagzhanov .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

    Kerstin Forsberg

  2. University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Takanari Ouchi

  3. University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Gisele Azimi

  4. University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

    Shafiq Alam

  5. IND LLC, South Jordan, UT, USA

    Neale R. Neelameggham

  6. University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

    Alafara Abdullahi Baba

  7. University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Hong Peng

  8. Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Athanasios Karamalidis

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Sagzhanov, D. et al. (2024). Beneficiation of Low-Grade Lithium Ores from Eastern Kazakhstan by Dense Media Separation (DMS) and Froth Flotation. In: Forsberg, K., et al. Rare Metal Technology 2024. TMS 2024. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50236-1_21

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