Development of an open-gradient magnetic separator in the aerodynamic field

Open-gradient magnetic separator in the aerodynamic field named an Aerodynamic Open Gradient Magnetic Separator (AOGMS) was developed for recovering magnetite under the dry condition. In this paper, the principle of AOGMS is discussed, and a continuous lab-scale AOGMS was tested to separate magnetite particles from a material with the particle size of minus 3mm and inadequate liberation degree. The effect of key variables such as magnetic field intensity, the flow rate of air, and the rotation speed of the roller on the separation performance was investigated. The results suggest that the magnetic field intensity and the airflow rate both have the most significant influences on the performance. Under the condition of the magnetic intensity field 1250Gs on roller surface, an increase in the airflow rate can significantly improve concentrate grade with only a slight change of Fe recovery due to enhance the removal of the quartz and mica containing SiO2 andAl(2)O(3). AOGMS process could provide the appropriate competitiveness in the dry separation process, thus, the locked particles and fine non-magnetic particles can be discarded efficiently. This also shows that reasonable matching multiple force fields can effectively strengthen the separation efficiency of complex iron ore.