Selective Separation Condition Verification and Accuracy Evaluation of Chemical Phase Analysis Method for Antimony Ore

Abstract

Currently, a few chemical phase analysis methods possess a common application, but most of them are designed for samples in a specific ore district and thus the accuracy of analytical results and the application range of a selected analytical process are not certain. Verification of chemical phase analysis by selected analytical process and method accuracy are the primary problem in this field. The representative antimony ore type, single antimony sulfide ore was chosen as the research object for the study. The main mineral phases of antimony are determined by mineral identification. When valentinite mineral cannot be acquired, the proportion of valentinite in mixing oxide ore (mixture of valentinite and antimonate) is determined by valence analysis. Moreover, the selected separation condition among valentinite, stibnite and antimonate is determined by comparison of condition experiment and X-ray Diffraction Analysis. Results show for the sample with antimony suldide content higher than 35%, the extraction time for the antimony sulfide phase should change from 30 minutes to 40 minutes. When the leaching rate of stibnite is increased by 4%-6%, the analysis error of antimonates phase can be reduced by 45%-70%. Antimony sulfide was leached completely, and the analysis accuracy of antimonite and cervantite phases improved. This method is suitable for chemical phase analysis of different types of ores (oxidized and sulfide ores) from different regions.

Keywords

• antimony ore minerals
• selective separation of single mineral
• accuracy evaluation
• chemical phase analysis