Principles of heavy media gravity separation
Heavy media gravity separation means separating products with different densities. Magnetiteand water are used to make a slurry on which one product will float (the product with a lower density than the slurry) and in which the other product will sink (the product with a higher density than the slurry). Hence the term sink-and-float separation is often used. Depending on the densities of the products that need separating, the ratio of magnetite and water in the slurry can be varied to achieve the required intermediate density.
Benefits of using Magnetite in dense medium separation
For many heavy media separation processes, the right slurry density can be reached with Magnetite. LKAB Minerals’ Magnetite has a particle density of 5.1 t/m3.
Our Magnetite offers specific benefits for this type of media separation:
- Very pure: 99% Magnetite and 71.5% Fe
- Low water absorption (<0.3%)
- Recyclable due to its ferrimagnetic properties
- Chemically very stable
- Durable
- Non-toxic
- Natural mineral
