Fluorite is also called fluorspar, and its main component is calcium fluoride (CaF2 ) which is the main raw material for producing fluorine compounds. Because that fluorite has low melting point, and it is widely used in steelmaking, nonferrous metal smelting, cement, glass and ceramics, it has become strategic resource in China. In a word, fluorite is a mineral with high recovery value, and the recovery of tungsten associated ore is focus on it.

 

Thanks to years of technical research, the separation of scheelite from fluorite is not a problem anymore. However it is still difficult to separate the fluorite from other calcium ore veins. We usually float sulfide ore first, then float tungsten and finally recover fluorite in flotation processes. The flotation of deposit which have similar floatability such as scheelite-fluorite-calcite type tungsten deposit and polymetallic deposit will add a lot of inhibitors to prevent the fluorite and calcite from floating. And after the flotation, its tailings contain a lot of calcite, quartz, garnet, calcium veins which make the recovery of fluorite from mineral tailings difficult.

 

Aimed on ore properties of fluorite, workers developed a variety of feasible processes. Adiitionally. And with the proper medicament system, fluorite gets maximize recovery, under the existing technical level. For example, a mine in Hunan uses the Strong Magnetic-flotation-decalcification new technology to recovery the fluorite, garnet and a small amount of wolframite. The new technology can get fluorite concentrate containing 97.84% CaF2 and 69.97% recovery rate from tailings containing 22.89% CaF2. A mine in Fujian get fluorite concentrate of grade 94.31% and recovery of 70.06%, by adding sulfuric acid pulp, activated fluorite, and using water glass as inhibitors, 733 fluorite collector in flotation process.

 

In addition, researchers have developed some specific medicament, which can achieve great results by combining with the right mineral process. For example, by using modified water glass and mixed oleic acid, namely by using "double loop process", the recovery of fluorite will achieve great results. And the whole process is so simple that has no need for desliming, removing medicament, and magnetic separation.