Advances in Pulsed Power Mineral Processing Technologies

Abstract

In Russia and globally, pulsed power technologies have been proposed based on the conversion of energy into a short-pulsed form and exposing geomaterials (minerals, rocks, and ores) to strictly dosed high-power pulsed electric and magnetic fields, beams of charged particles, microwave radiation, neutrons and X-ray quanta, and low-temperature plasma flows. Such pulsed energy impacts are promising methods for the pretreatment of refractory mineral feeds (refractory ores and concentration products) to increase the disintegration, softening, and liberation performance of finely disseminated mineral complexes, as well as the contrast between the physicochemical and process properties of mineral components. In this paper, we briefly review the scientific foundations of the effect of both high-power nanosecond electromagnetic pulses (HPEMP) and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in air on semiconductor ore minerals (sulfides, rare metals minerals) and rock-forming dielectric minerals. The underlying mechanisms of mineral intergrowth disintegration and changes in the structural and chemical states of the mineral surface when exposed to HPEMP and DBD irradiation are discussed. The high performance and potential limitations of pulsed energy impact and low-temperature plasma produced by DBD treatment of geomaterials are discussed in terms of the directional change in the process properties of the minerals to improve the concentration performance of refractory minerals and ores.

A research of the effect of an underwater electric explosion on the selectivity of destruction of quartz raw materials

“…The paper [10] discusses the mechanisms of disintegration of mineral coalescence and changes in the structural and chemical state of the mineral surface under the influence of powerful nanosecond electromagnetic pulses and dielectric barrier discharge irradiation. High productivity and potential limitations of the impact of pulsed energy and low-temperature plasma obtained during the processing of geomaterials by the dielectric barrier discharge method are discussed from the point of view of directional changes in the technological properties of minerals to improve the enrichment of refractory minerals and ores.…”

The changes of structure in ferruginous quartzites under the impact of laser radiation

“…Одно из перспективных направлений подобных исследований -лазерная обработка тонкодисперсных минеральных сред. Это объясняется тем, что лазерное излучение создает как на поверхности, так и по объему материала высокие плотности теплового потока, достаточные дня нагрева, плавления и испарения [1][2][3].…”

Studies on Microwave-Plasma Treatment of Froth Flotation Tailings

“…The most common energy impact is oxidizing roasting, which has the following disadvantages: high energy and fuel consumption, environmental contamination by dust and mixing original products with electrode materials or hydrocarbons [18,22,23].…”