Heavy-medium Separation for Low Grade Li-bearing Mineral In Korea

In order to improve grade of the domestic lepidolite (low grade Li-bearing mineral), heavy medium separation (HMS) was conducted with sample from Boam mine, in various range of size(+4, 4×20, 20×65, -65 mesh) and medium specific gravity (2.65, 2.70, 2.75).As the result of HMS in crushed mineral by jaw crusher, separation efficiency of Li was higher in the range of 4×20 mesh at 2.70 of medium specific gravity (Li2O grade: 4.32%, Li2O recovery: 72.39%).Whereas the case of +4 mesh, separation efficiency of Li was very low, regardless of medium specific gravity and recovery of Li2O drastically decreased in relation to increase in medium specific gravity.After grinding for +4 mesh minerals using disk pulverizer at 3 mm of distance of disk for liberation, HMS was carried out for ground minerals(+4, 4×20 mesh).As the range of +4 mesh size, grade of Li2O was 4.8%(recovery: 80%) at a 2.70 of medium specific gravity.