Leading Automatic Magnetic Flotation Separator

The leading automatic magnetic flotation separator is not just a new piece of equipment. This is in response to three years of increasing failures in traditional ore processing lines with iron content below 32%. We observed this at seven mines in the Kemerovo and Sverdlovsk regions: crushing and classification worked stably, but the concentrate yield dropped by 18–23% due to impurities of quartz, shales and fine titanomagnetite. The problem is not the quality of the ore - it is the gap between flotation and magnetic separation as separate stages.

Why the combined process solves real problems - not theoretical ones

Magnetic flotation separators have been around since the 2000s, but until 2022, 92% of them operated on the flotation → washing → drying → secondary magnetic separation principle. This cycle requires three independent installations, four operators and 47 minutes to move from one stage to the next. The result is a loss of 11–15% of the useful component at the washing stage and waterlogging of the pulp in front of the magnetic block.

A leading automatic magnetic flotation separator bridges this gap. It integrates a reaction chamber with an adjustable pH range (from 2.1 to 11.4), a reagent delivery system with an accuracy of ±0.3 ml/min and a high-gradient magnetic module with induction up to 1.8 Tesla - all in one package. There are no intermediate containers. No transfers. The pulp moves through a sealed channel directly from the flotation zone to the separation zone. Cycle time is reduced from 47 to 6.8 minutes. Iron losses are reduced to 2.1% - even when the initial ore contains less than 28% Fe.

We tested this at two sites: at the Severny mining and processing complex (Krasnoyarsk Territory) and at the Ural mining and processing complex. On the first - an increase in concentrate yield by 9.4%, on the second - a reduction in reagent consumption by 31% due to point supply only to the active zones of the chamber. Automation does not just record parameters. It corrects them: if the level sensor in the magnetic section shows a deviation of more than 3.2 mm, the system itself changes the pulp feed rate and increases the magnetic field by 0.15 Tesla.

Automation here is not a marketing term, but a technical necessity

Some customers believe that “automatic” means “set it and forget it.” This is a dangerous misconception. The flotation-magnetic process is sensitive to fluctuations in pulp temperature (optimum - 24–28 °C), solid concentration (38–42%), and even seasonal changes in the composition of reagents. Manually adjusting each of the 17 key variables is not possible without errors.

The LONGI Corporation separator has four independent control loops: level, density, magnetic induction and pH. All of them are connected via a Siemens S7-1500 industrial controller with a built-in adaptive learning algorithm. The system remembers how separation efficiency changes with each change in ore composition, and adjusts the modes within 2-3 cycles. No operator intervention required.

In practice, this means: when replacing a batch of ore containing 31.2% Fe with 29.7% Fe, the equipment itself increases the holding time in the flotation cell by 14 seconds and reduces the flow rate in the magnetic section by 18%. The operator sees only one indicator - “Process stability: 98.6%”.

What you need for implementation - and what you shouldn’t expect

The separator does not require a new workshop site. Its dimensions are 4.2 × 2.1 × 2.8 m. It is installed on an existing foundation with a permissible load of 12 tons. Connection - to a three-phase network 380 V ±5%, compressed air pressure 0.6–0.7 MPa, and water supply with a flow rate of up to 1.2 m³/h. Installation takes 5 working days. Commissioning - 3 days, including training of two operators and one technologist.

But there are limitations that we honestly indicate to our clients:

• The maximum particle size is 0.8 mm (if larger, preliminary classification is required);
• Working with sulfide ores is possible only when using modified collectors (standard ones do not provide selectivity);
• The service life of the magnetic elements is 36 months, subject to the washing schedule every 72 hours.

LONGI Corporation has been producing such separators since 1993. The Fushun plant produces 4,000 units of equipment annually. More than 60% of engineers have specialized higher education. And this is noticeable: there are no “spare” solutions in the design. Each node is designed for a specific load - no more, no less.

Conclusion: the choice is not between “expensive” and “cheap”, but between “works today” and “will work in five years”

The leading automatic magnetic flotation separator is not an upgrade from an old line. This is a transition to a new type of enrichment: continuous, adaptive, measured in percentage output rather than hours worked. It pays for itself in 14–18 months due to the growth of the concentrate product and reduced costs for reagents and electricity.

If your goal is to consistently achieve 65% Fe when processing complex mixed ores, and not just “start up the equipment and hope,” then the solution already exists. It works. It scales. It is documented in 127 implementation reports - from the Kola Peninsula to the Far East. Detailed technical specifications, connection diagrams and service conditions are available on the websiteljmagnet.ru.