Using new flotation reagents to directly float niobium oxide and iron oxide

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Many of the iron ore mines, including ArcelorMittal Mines Canada (AMMC) and Cliffs Wabush Mines who support this proposal, use gravity separation and magnetic separation to upgrade the iron ores to smelter grades. However, these separation technologies are not effective in recovering fine iron oxide minerals, which are lost to the tailings. For instance, Cliffs Wabush loses 5.6% of total iron value to the hydrocyclone overflow. Even if half of this amount is recoverd, it would mean an additional revenue of $12 million. AMMC loses the majority of the -75 µm iron oxide value to the spiral tailings. Therefore, it is important that suitable froth flotation reagent schemes and processing technologies, such as proposed in this project, be developed to directly recover the fine iron oxide value from the tailings.