An experimental study was carried out to address problems of higher grade of iron in the tailings from 1^st-stage high intensity magnetic separation (HIMS) and higher metal losses in the production of Lilou Iron Mine in Anhui Province. In the study, the low-intensity magnetic separator (LIMS) used before 1^st-stage HIMS was replaced with a CCT-A high-gradient permanent magnetic drum separator, and the HIMS process consisting of one roughing and one scavenging was optimized to a HIMS process consisting of one roughing and two scavenging. With these measures, both strongly and weakly magnetic minerals can be effectively recovered. The 1^st-stage scavenging tailings have the iron grade decreased by around 1 percentage point, and nearly 40 000 tons of iron concentrate can be recovered annually, which can bring remarkable economic benefits to the mine.

specularite  /  magnetic separation  /  high-gradient permanent magnetic drum separator  /  magnetic field intensity  /  process optimization  /  grade  /  iron tailings