Tantalum and Niobium Tailings Recovery Technology for Lithium Pyroxene: Awakening the "Sleeping" Treasure of Rare Metals

Abstract: In the process of lithium pyroxene beneficiation, a large amount of tailings rich in tantalum, niobium and other rare strategic metals are stockpiled for a long period of time, which is not only a huge waste of resources, but also a potential burden on the environment. In this paper, we analyze the advanced recovery technology of lithium pyroxene containing tantalum and niobium tailings, how to transform the waste tailings into high-value resources, open up new profit growth points for enterprises, and realize the win-win situation of environmental protection and economy.

Keywords: lithium pyroxene containing tantalum-niobium tailings recovery technology, tantalum-niobium recovery, lithium tailings comprehensive utilization, rare metal beneficiation, tailings value-added, environmental protection recycling

I. Neglected "urban mine": rediscovery of the value of lithium pyroxene tailings

With the strong demand for lithium resources in the global new energy industry, the scale of lithium pyroxene mining and beneficiation continues to expand. However, while focusing on lithium, a huge value blind spot has been long neglected - the tailings produced after lithium pyroxene beneficiation.

These tailings are often associated with extremely scarce strategic metals such as tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb). Tantalum is a key material in the manufacture of high-end capacitors and aerospace alloys, while niobium is an indispensable element in high-strength alloy steel and superconducting materials. Due to the relatively low grade in the raw ore or the lack of effective enrichment in the lithium beneficiation process, a large number of them end up in the tailing ponds "sleeping".

The development of lithium pyroxene containing tantalum-niobium tailings recovery technology is not only the "waste" resource, but also from the "urban mine" in the gold, to ensure the security of the national strategic resources, to enhance the comprehensive economic benefits of enterprises is of great significance.

Second, the technical challenges: why the traditional methods are difficult to work?

The recovery of tantalum and niobium from lithium pyroxene tailings faces a lot of technical difficulties, resulting in low recovery rate and high cost of traditional single process:

• Low grade and wide dispersion: After the lithium beneficiation process, the grade of tantalum and niobium in the tailings is further reduced, and the minerals are dispersed in fine particle size, which is difficult to be enriched by simple methods.

• Complex mineral composition: In addition to tantalum-niobium minerals (such as tantalite and columbite), the tailings also contain a large number of quartz, feldspar, mica and other veinstone minerals, as well as residual lithium pyroxene and iron minerals, with complex physical and chemical properties.

• Deterioration of surface properties: In the previous grinding and lithium beneficiation process, the mineral surface has been contaminated by a variety of agents, and the floatability has deteriorated, increasing the difficulty of sorting.

Therefore, it is necessary to adopt the advanced recovery technology program with high efficiency, precision and combination.

III. Core technology breakthrough: combined process for efficient recovery of tantalum and niobium

Aiming at the above challenges, modern lithium pyroxene containing tantalum-niobium tailings recovery technology has developed a set of mature joint process, the core of which includes:

1. Pretreatment and graded desliming:
The tailings are first slurried and deslimed by hydrocyclones or classifiers. This step is critical, because the very fine sludge will be adsorbed by a large number of subsequent flotation chemicals, which seriously interferes with the sorting process, and pre-sludging can greatly improve the efficiency of subsequent operations and reduce drug consumption.

2. High-efficiency gravity separation pre-enrichment:
Due to the large specific gravity of tantalum-niobium minerals (more than 5.3), while the specific gravity of main vein stones (such as quartz, feldspar) is only 2.6-2.8), the use of advanced centrifugal concentrator (such as spiral concentrator, shaking table) for pre-enrichment is a cost-effective choice. This link can throw off most of the light vein stones, get the rough concentrate, and lay the foundation for the subsequent selection operation.

3. High selective flotation separation:
This is the key to obtaining a high grade concentrate. Adopt the combined pharmaceutical system:

• Adjusting agent: Use water glass, sodium hexametaphosphate, etc. to disperse the chalcopyrite and inhibit the silicate.

• Collector: Use new chelating collector with strong selective adsorption ability to tantalum and niobium minerals or anionic and cationic mixed collector, which greatly improves the collection ability and selectivity.

• By precisely controlling the pH value, the efficient separation of tantalum-niobium minerals from residual iron-containing minerals, mica, etc. is realized.

4. Magnetic separation and final purification:
Tantalum-niobium crude concentrate often contains magnetic minerals (such as garnet, ilmenite, etc.). Adopting high gradient strong magnetic separator, utilizing the difference between the weak magnetism of tantalum and niobium minerals and the strong magnetism of magnetic minerals, effective separation is carried out, and high-grade tantalum and niobium mixed concentrate or separated tantalum and niobium concentrates are obtained in the end.

Technical Advantage:

• Strong targeting: Specially designed for lithium pyroxene tailings with complex composition.

• High recovery: The combined process provides a significant increase in the overall recovery of tantalum and niobium.

• High product value: The final concentrate can reach the market standard, with great economic value.

• Green environmental protection: It realizes the minimization and resourcefulness of tailings, and reduces the pressure on the environment.

Fourth, investment value: from environmental burden to the profit center of the magnificent turnaround

For mining enterprises, investing in lithium pyroxene containing tantalum-niobium tailings recycling technology is a strategic decision with great foresight:

• Creating a new source of revenue: transforming tailings, which would otherwise have to be disposed of for a fee, into high-value tantalum-niobium concentrate products, directly increasing corporate revenue.

• Extend the service life of tailing ponds: the total amount of tailings is reduced after treatment, which effectively extends the service life of tailing ponds, and saves the huge investment and land use costs for new tailing ponds.

• Enhance the comprehensive competitiveness of the enterprise: Realize the "exhaustion" of resources, create a green mine and the image of the benchmark of the circular economy, in line with the national environmental protection policy and ESG (environmental, social and governance) investment trends.

• Guaranteeing the security of strategic resources: Contributing important rare metal resources to the country and enhancing the security of the industrial chain.

V. Conclusion: Work with technical experts to unlock the treasures in tailings

Lithium pyroxene tailings are no longer pure waste, but a "rich mine" that has yet to be developed. The core of successful recycling lies in choosing reliable technology partners.

We specialize in value-added recycling technology for difficult-to-treat resources, and provide a complete set of technological solutions for the recovery of lithium pyroxene tantalum-niobium-containing tailings, ranging from tailings analysis, process design, supply of core equipment, to production line modification and upgrading. We are committed to helping you maximize the value of every resource through innovative technologies.

Contact us today for a technical assessment and feasibility analysis, and together we can turn the "sleeping assets" in your tailings pond into real money!