Assessment of the batch flotation results of finely sized colemanite in terms of gangue minerals and the importance of desliming

It is aimed in this article to re-evaluate the necessity for the desliming process prior to froth flotation of finely sized colemanite samples from the Hisarcik region at the Emet borate deposits of Türkiye. For this purpose, previous batch flotation conditions and quantitative flotation results were considered by not only taking the previous findings targeting only B<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>% grade and recovery into account but also other main components or gangues (i.e. As<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, and SiO<sub>2</sub>) by using today’s modern laboratory characterization analyses such as XRD and MLA and data evaluation methods. The current assessment proved that newly constructed particle size distribution results showed even 10 min of grinding would be more relevant, especially if the slimes would be ultimately problematic for flotation. The desliming process is certainly necessary and relatively effective as much of the gangue mineral components could be removed easily at minus 20 µm before the flotation process. However, the desliming might also cause B<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> losses in slimes, and this time, the final mass and assay data should be assessed for further grade-recovery calculations. Although AP825, a sodium alkyl sulphonate, was a very effective collector for colemanite flotation in previous studies, the current assessment revealed that CA927, a sulphosuccinamate (anionic type collector), might be considered as an alternative collector. However, when it was successful in getting the targeted B<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>% content, selectivity against gangue constituents, such as As<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and SiO<sub>2</sub> in the current conditions cannot support this idea. This paper shows the necessity of controlling optimum grinding time for targeted liberation particle size, the importance of the desliming process in order to avoid losses of valuable components in fines, and the consideration of gangue components in all products at all particle size fractions during colemanite flotation when evaluating the overall recovery.