Measurements of CaF2 concentration in fluorite ore using thermoluminescence techniques

Fluorite powder is produced by means of a flotation process on crude ore extracted by the mines. A full automation of the flotation plant would reduce the operating cost and improve the quality and recovery of fluorite production. However, taking into account that the efficiency of a flotation cycle is directly dependent on the CaF2 content in the concentrate and tail products, this automation requires a quasi-real-time quantitative analysis of CaF2 concentration in the floated pulp. The feasibility was studied of using a thermoluminescence technique as an on-line analysis method to measure the CaF2 concentration during the flotation cycle. A first set of experimental conditions to determine CaF2 content in acid-grade fluorspar has been already developed and the preliminary results so far obtained are presented. (author)