Study on Separation of Niobium and Iron from Low Grade Niobium Ore

Abstract

The separation of niobium and iron from the low grade niobium ore was researched by the technology process of reductive roasting and magnetic separation. Experiments of reductive roasting and magnetic separation were carried out in order to investigate the separation effect at different conditions of roasting temperature and addition amount of coal powders. The results show that the separation of niobium and iron can be realized, meanwhile the niobium can be enriched in the magnetic tailings. The main mineral phase of niobium in magnetic tailings changes into NbC from (Ce,Nd)NbTiO5when the roasting temperature exceeds 1150°C. By magnetic separation after roasting with adding 37.5% coal powders at 1050°C, w(T.Fe) of the reduced iron is 86.11%, the percentage metallization is 87.6%, and the yield ratio of iron is 77.4%. Meanwhile, w(Nb2O5) of the magnetic tailings is 7.35% which is 2.4 times higher than low grade niobium ore, and the yield ratio of niobium is 98.1%.