New concentration technology for a complex tungsten-molybdenum ore in Yunnan

The tungsten-molybdenum ore sample used in this study is a complex disseminated thin-vein ore in Yunnan province, China. A new such processing technology was developed as concentrating molybdenum and removing pyrite by selective flotaton at first, followed by pre-casting tailings using Falcon centrifugal concentrator,finally cleaning the tungsten minerals by means of shaking table. A tungsten concentrate containing 57.41% WO₃ with a recovery of 50.55% and a tungsten middlings containing 2.51% WO₃ with a recovery of 13.42% were obtained by the new technology, as well as a molybdenum concentrate containing 35.21% Mo with a recovery of 69.78% was achieved. This new technology has many advantages such as good concentration performance, water and energy saving, enviroment friendly and so on.