The effect of water quality on rare earth minerals flotation

The Challenge

The challenge lies in developing effective alternative water treatment methods to replace the costly reverse osmosis-purified water currently used in processing. This reliance on an expensive solution hampers operational efficiency and drives up costs for mining companies.

The Solution

This research highlighted the significant adverse effects of dissolved ions, acting as impurities, on rare-earth mineral flotation. The interaction of divalent cations with flotation reagents and the alteration of pulp rheology by anions in the flotation pulp both contributed to reduced separation efficiency between valuable minerals and gangue.

Proposed Benefit to WA

The project provided insights into how water quality affects processing efficiency in rare-earth mining in WA. It also suggested alternative water treatment methods to lower costs. This research may encourage companies to explore lower-grade deposits if alternative water sources are available, addressing water scarcity issues.

Funding DOI

DOI: 10.71342/837210245430

Report DOI

DOI: 10.71342/642754334956