Reagents types in flotation of iron oxide minerals: A review

Recently, beneficiation of iron from low-grade ores with high impurities has been a matter of discussion. Flotation is one of the most effective technologies for the upgrading of low-grade, finely grained iron ores. This method can also be applied to reduce the impurities content in magnetite concentrates obtained using wet low- and high-intensity magnetic separations. In this paper, several studies describing the processing of iron ores via direct and reverse cationic and anionic flotation are reviewed. The objective of this review was to present and identify the effects of different flotation conditions on removal of specific impurities in iron ore such as quartz, alumina, phosphorous, and sulfur. Novel and common used collectors, depressants, auxiliary reagents, and their mixtures in the flotation are tabulated. This paper attempts to provide an explanation for the current state and use of iron ore flotation methods, as well as to present some ideas on future initiatives and potential developments within the area.