Mining Institute of the Kola Science Centre of the RAS (Russia):

Mukhina T. N., Ph. D. in Engineering Sciences, Head of Section, muhina@goi.kolasc.net.ru;
Marchevskaya V. V., Ph. D. in Engineering Sciences, Associate Professor, Senior Researcher, vvm@goi.kolasc.net.ru

Golubtsov A. V., Leading Technologist

Engineering and Technology Direction of the Alumina Production of the «RUSAL ITTs» Separate Division in St. Petersburg (Russia):
Vinogradov S. A., Ph. D. in Engineering Sciences, Senior Researcher, Sergey.Vinogradov2@rusal.com

When nepheline raw material is subjected to complex processing, and all products are efficiently used, alumina, produced from nephelines, may be competitive in cost with respect to alumina, produced from bauxites. In Russia, there are two operating integrated plants producing alumina from nepheline raw material — the Pikalevsky and Achinsky plants. The prospects for development of the Achinsky alumina plant’s raw material base are related to the Goryachegorskoye nepheline-feldspar ores deposit. The work presents the results of the Goryachegorskoye deposit ores dressability studies with a view to develop a marketable nepheline concentrate production technology. Nepheline ores flotation and magnetic processing flow sheets are developed separately for two ore varieties: feldspar ijolites and ijolite-urtites, and for their blending in accordance with the reserves in the ore body. Magnetic processing flow sheet includes ore grinding, its preliminary desliming, magnetic separation in weak field and two operations of magnetic separation in strong field. Flotation processing flow sheet includes one operation of deslimed ore flotation — reverse nepheline flotation. It was established that all studied technologies permit to produce from high-silica nepheline-feldspar ores concentrates, containing over 26.5 % Al₂O₃, within 45 % SiO₂, within 3 % of total iron with Al₂O₃ recovery being over 80 %, that are suitable for alumina production. The highest processing results are achieved with application of combined magnetic-flotation technology, however, the final choice of technology may be done upon accomplishment of design studies and technical and economic assessment.

The work was performed with the aid from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the Government Agreement No. 14.579.21.0129. UIPNI RFMEF157915X0129.

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