Development of innovative technologies of ore mineral resources concentration from the Russian Arctic zone

A.S. Opalev, V.V. Marchevskaya
Mining Institute Kola Science Centrer of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Apatity, Russian Federation
Russian Mining Industry №1 / 2023 р. 63-70

Abstract: The running pilot processing plant of the Mining Institute KSC RAS is completed with crushing and grinding, flotation, gravity, magnetic, and radiometric equipment, and provides for continuous testing of technologies and production of pilot concentrate batches from mineral deposits occurred in the Arctic zone and other Russia’s regions. The article presents the results of pilot tests of the developed technologies low-sulfide precious metal ores concentration from two deposits from the Kola Peninsula (the Fedorovo-Pansky and Monchegorsky intrusive). Sulfide precious metal concentrates with recovery of the sum of precious metals (Pt+Pd+Au) of 82,6% and 88,0% for ores of Fedorovo-Pansky intrusion and Monchegorsky pluton, respectively, were produced from low-sulfide platinum-metal finelydispersed ores of different quality using the flotation technology. The results of pilot melts carried out at a metallurgical enterprise of the Kola Peninsula have established the potential of metallurgical processing of concentrates with high technical and economic indicators.

An improved technological flowsheet of a resource-saving combined flotation-gravity technology of complex low-sulfide platinum-metal ores concentration with preliminary lumpy dressing was developed in laboratory conditions and contributes to increasing the recovery of precious metals into concentrate and reducing the negative impact of tailings on the natural environment.

The article also demonstrates the results of pilot tests to improve the quality of iron ore concentrates at joint-stock company Severstal (Olkon and Karelsky Okatysh) using magnetic-gravity separation and flotation technologies which are a basis for development and implementation of an innovative technology aimed at producing high-quality iron ore raw materials suitable for nonblast-furnace metallurgy.

Keywords: pilot concentration plant, Russian Arctic zone ores, low-sulfide platinum-metal ores, iron ores, flotation, gravity concentration, magnetic-gravity separation, pre-concentration, concentrate, technological indices

For citation: Opalev A.S., Marchevskaya V.V. Development of innovative technologies of ore mineral resources concentration from the Russian Arctic zone. Russian Mining Industry. 2023;(1):63–70. https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2023-1-63-70

Article info

Received: 25.12.2022

Revised: 12.01.2023

Accepted: 16.01.2023

Information about the authors

Aleksandr S. Opalev – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Deputy Director of Science, Apatity, Russian Federation; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Valentina V. Marchevskaya – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Associate Professor, Leading Researcher, Apatity, Russian Federation; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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