Application of stage wise flotation using tree technique in Na-K feldspar separation

Separation of Potassium feldspar (orthoclase and microcline) and sodium feldspar (albite) is challenging because a substantial proportion of remaining feldspar deposits are of mixed type. These minerals have similar chemical structure and physicochemical properties. Flotation has been shown to be a unique method of selective separation. In this study, a mixed feldspar ore with a K₂O/Na₂O (3.78/3.37) ratio of 1.12 was studied in a Denver flotation cell at acidic pH using HF. Selective separation has been carried out by stage wise flotation using the tree technique. Accordingly, a feldspar ore composed of 3.37 % Na₂O and 3.78 % K₂O was upgraded to 10.51 % K₂O and 3.02 % Na₂O with a K ₂O/Na₂O = 3.48 in HF medium. The study has shown that NaCl are able to induce a selective separation of feldspar minerals in acidic medium by stage wise flotation.