Effect of Operating Parameters on Flotation Performance for Recovering High-Grade Monazite from a Partially Upgraded Placer Deposit

In order to separate fine-grained monazite minerals from other heavy minerals and silicate gangue minerals, this article discusses flotation studies carried out at various flotation process parameters, such as reagent doses, pulp pH, conditioning time and flotation time. Surface response techniques and experiments were used in optimization research. The best flotation performance conditions are determined to be as follows: pulp pH—9, pulp density—30%, depressant sodium silicate—1.2 kg/t, collector oleic acid—1.2 kg/t, conditioning time—5 min and flotation time—10 min. A single stage yields a monazite grade of 94.8% and a recovery of 95.3% from a feed comprising 52.3% monazite, based on the experimental parameters mentioned above and the expected values determined via response surface methods. Cerium monazite, which is appropriate for recovering rare earth elements, is present in this sample.