CASSITERITE FLOTATION USING STYRENE PHOSPHONIC ACID TO PRODUCE HIGH-GRADE CONCENTRATES AT HIGH RECOVERIES FROM FINELY DISSEMINATED ORES - COMPARISON WITH OTHER COLLECTORS AND DISCUSSION OF EFFECTIVE CIRCUIT CONFIGURATIONS

Styrene phosphonic acid (SPA) is one of the best collector reagents for flotation of cassiterite and the best collector for the flotation of finely disseminated cassiterite and wolframite ores. Data from our research work has shown that only with SPA is it possible to obtain higher grade tin concentrates containing more than 40% Sn at high recoveries. The basis for this is the named collector, a highly developed reagent system and a special flotation technology, which was carried out in cyclic Laboratory tests with tin ores from Czechoslovakia, Canada, Portugal and Germany, and introduced into the processing plants at Neves Corvo, Portugal, Rio Kemptville, Canada and Altenberg, Germany.