USBM Tests on Selective Iron Ore Flotation Point Way to Greater Recoveries

For many years the Bureau of Mines has been con- ducting comprehensive iron ore research programs with the objective of increasing domestic supplies and divising techniques that would enable profitable exploitation of low-grade and complex domestic iron-mineral deposits. Since 1962, much of the Bureau's flotation research at Minneapolis has been concerned with studies on the treatment of low-grade hematitic-goethitic jaspers of the Marquette range, Mich. Ores from Michigan require grinding to substantially minus 400-mesh for liberation that will permit production of quality concentrates. With such fine grinding, diminished flotation effectiveness can be expected because of slime interference. The word "slime" is an ambiguous term. Taggart states "Slimes in an ore pulp are loosely defined as the fine fraction that overflows a desanding separator. . ."