The use of polymers in potash beneficiation at agrium potash plant

Potash production by froth flotation uses substances such as guar, starches, carboxy methyl celluloses and polyacrylamides which act as blinders to prevent the potash collector (primary aliphatic amine) from being adsorbed on the surfaces of insoluble slimes. Agrium Potash Operations in Saskatchewan uses guar for this purpose. In addition, Agrium Potash uses a different approach for desliming, which is flocculation-flotation of the insoluble slimes using a polyaclylamide as flocculant and a short chain ether amine as the collector for the flocculated insoluble slimes. The overall milling process at Agrium Potash is discussed in general with specifics on the use of polymers in the flocculation-flotation and blinding processes.