Introduction to Tantalum-Niobium Ore

Floatability of Tantalum-Niobium Ore The minerals containing tantalum and niobium are mainly tantalum iron and pyrochlore. Tantalum-niobium iron ore containing more tantalum is called tantalite, and niobium containing more niobium is called columbite.
Tantalum-niobium iron ore and pyrochlore can be captured with cationic traps or anionic traps. The flotation effect is better with complexing traps (such as sodium hydroxamic acid).
With oleic acid as a trapping agent, the flotation of tantalum and niobium ore is best when the PH value is 6 to 8, and tantalite and columbite are inhibited in acidic medium, while quartz, feldspar and dolomite are not good at any PH value. Therefore, it is easy to separate tantalum-niobium ore from quartz and other veins with oleic acid as a trapping agent at pH=6 to 8.
After treating tantalum-niobium ore with 10% acid (sulfuric acid), it becomes easy to float. The floatability of tantalum-niobium ore increases with the increase in the amount of acid, and the effect with sulfuric acid is better than with hydrochloric acid. With 1% hydrofluoric acid treatment, the activation degree is similar to sulfuric acid.
With oleic acid as a trapping agent, when the concentration of sodium sulfide is 10-20 mg/liter, it can inhibit tantalum-niobium ore and some of the veins. With cationic recovery agent, sodium sulfide initially activate tantalum niobium ore and some other minerals, but with the increase of its dosage, tantalum niobium ore recovery rate decreased. When tantalum-niobium ore is captured with oleic acid, a small amount of sodium silicofluoride can inhibit all minerals.