Zirconium Ore Beneficiation Solution (Gravity + Magnetic + Electrostatic Separation)

Stage 1: Crushing System

For primary rock zircon, the raw ore is coarsely crushed to 50-80mm by a Jaw Crusher, then finely crushed to 10-15mm by a Cone Crusher. The system utilizes a "two-stage, one closed-circuit" process with a Circular Vibrating Screen to strictly control the product size and improve crushing efficiency.

Stage 2: Grinding & Classifying System

The crushed ore enters a Ball Mill lined with rubber to protect the zircon crystals from excessive shattering. The ground product is classified by a Hydrocyclone. The grinding fineness is strictly controlled to ensure 75-85% of the material passes -200 mesh. The overflow proceeds to gravity separation, while underflow sand returns for re-grinding.

Stage 3: Gravity Pre-Enrichment

The classified slurry passes through a battery of Spiral Chutes for high-capacity roughing, discarding the light silica gangue. The rough heavy concentrate is then processed on Shaking Tables to further increase the grade and discard middlings. This stage leaves a mixed heavy mineral sand (Zircon + Rutile + Ilmenite).

Stage 4: Drying & Tempering System

Electrostatic separation requires bone-dry material. The gravity concentrate is indirectly heated (80-120°C) in a Rotary Dryer, reducing moisture to below 0.5%. A cooling screen then controls the particle size to strictly -1mm, creating the perfect conditions for electrostatic sorting.

Stage 5: Magnetic & Electrostatic Purification

• Magnetic Separation: The dry sand passes through a Dry Magnetic Separator, which instantly strips out the magnetic ilmenite and iron impurities.
• Electrostatic Separation: The remaining non-magnetic mix (Zircon and Rutile) enters a High-Voltage Electrostatic Separator. Because Rutile is a conductor and Zircon is a non-conductor, the high-tension corona field easily splits the two minerals, yielding a final, highly pure Zircon concentrate.

Q1: Why is separating Zircon from Rutile so difficult?

A: Zircon (Specific Gravity ~4.6) and Rutile (Specific Gravity ~4.2) are almost identical in weight, meaning shaking tables and spirals cannot effectively separate them. Furthermore, neither mineral is magnetic, meaning magnetic separators are useless here. The only way to achieve a pure separation is to use a High-Tension Electrostatic Separator, which exploits the fact that Rutile conducts electricity while Zircon does not.

Q2: Why must the ore be bone-dry before electrostatic separation?

A: Electrostatic separation works by spraying a high-voltage charge (up to 60kV) onto the minerals. If the sand is even slightly damp, the water conducts the electricity across all the particles, completely destroying the separation process. This is why our flowsheet mandates a Rotary Dryer to drop moisture levels below 0.5%.

Full EPC Engineering & Technical Services

We provide end-to-end Zircon Ore Beneficiation solutions. With processing capacities ranging from 10 to 100+ tons per day, our modular designs guarantee a rapid payback period (typically 1-2 years).

• Ore Testing & Flowsheet Design: Precision laboratory testing to design a custom flowsheet that handles your specific mineral composition.
• Equipment Manufacturing: Supplying highly durable, full-circuit gravity, magnetic, and electrostatic machinery.
• Installation & Commissioning: Global on-site engineer deployment to guarantee your plant hits the target ZrO₂ ≥ 65% commercial grade.

Contact our engineering team today to receive a customized plant layout and equipment quotation.