Research on the influence mechanism of particle size on the migration and deposition law of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores
摘要
In the in-situ leaching of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores, the migration and deposition of micro-fine particles within the ore body can reduce permeability, impairing leaching efficiency. To identify the primary migrating components, three porous media sizes (+ 0.150 to − 0.315 mm, + 0.315 to − 0.450 mm, and + 0.450 to − 0.600 mm) and three suspended particle fractions (− 0.026 mm, + 0.026 to − 0.050 mm, and + 0.050 to − 0.075 mm) were used as the research subjects. The effects of particle size on migration laws and mechanisms in rare earth ore, were investigated. Besides, the relationship between fine particle migration rate and ore body permeability was explored. Results show that as particle size increasing, primary migration and deposition zones shift from upper and middle sections to upper and lower sections. The predominant migration size range is 50–60 μm, with rising peak turbidity in leachate. Porous media particle size influences micro-fine particle migration and deposition more than suspended particles. The + 0.315 to − 0.450 mm samples form the optimal porous medium, with minimal surface contact angle and adhesion work compared to others. For suspended particles of 0–26 μm, major migration and deposition proportions are lowest at 2.1% and 1.6%, respectively. A model relating particle mobility to the permeability coefficient reveals that permeability initially increases then decreases with mobility rising.