the china chemical mining association recently held a phosphorus resource development, conservation and comprehensive utilization technology promotion meeting in sichuan’s mianzhu city. at the meeting, lehigh institute’s low and medium-grade phosphorite flotation technology was recommended by the ministry of land and resources.
the floatation technology industrialization will carve out a way to develop and utilize low and medium-grade phosphorus resources nationwide. the technology can also help protect the environment and save energy.
to date, china has proven phosphorous reserves of 16.76 billion tons, with 90 percent at low and medium grades. therefore, developing technology to use low and medium-grade phosphorite is important not only to china’s phosphorus chemical and fertilizer sustainable development but also national food security. the floatation technology can bring phosphorus pentoxide content up from 15 percent to 30 percent, and reduce magnesium oxide from 1.5-4.0 percent to 0.8 percent, with an ore dressing recovery rate above 86 percent. its technology has a simple technological process, makes for stable operations, and produces significant social and economic benefits. the project can make use of 80 percent of backwater and save 15 million cubic meters of water annually. the new reagent also helps reduce costs and bring down pollution. the technology can save more than 140,000 tons of standard coal every year.
the technology has boosted phosphorous resource development and utilization, and offers technical support for efficient use of phosphorous resources. it can help enterprises develop the circular economy and make comprehensive use of resources.