Economics of complex raw materials: hydroxamate production revives in Russia
The company "Flotent Chemicals Rus", a Russian manufacturer of chemical reagents, begins production of hydroxamates. This is a class of chemical compounds that was produced in Russia in the 1970s, after which it virtually disappeared from industrial use.
The reagent line was developed and tested for two years. Hydroxamates are designed to extract a wide range of metals, including copper, tin, and rare earth elements (REE). In addition, the revival of this class of chemical compounds solves one of the main tasks of large mining enterprises – the involvement in the processing of significant volumes of oxidized mass accumulated in deposits. Until today, there was no cost-effective method of working with such raw materials: the existing technologies were too expensive and complex.
The key property of this type of reagents is chelation. The action of hydroxamates is characterized by the formation of strong complexes due to the formation of two coordination bonds with one metal ion and the closure of a five-membered cycle. These complexes are more difficult to break than a single bond formed by traditional gatherers. Due to their properties, hydroxamates provide high selectivity and a degree of recovery where standard reagents are ineffective.
In addition to technological efficiency, hydroxamates are environmentally friendly.: they are biodegradable to a greater extent than most traditional flotation reagents, since their structure does not contain toxic elements. The reagents are compatible with the main types of foaming agents and environmental regulators, and their use requires compliance with standard protective measures.
The effectiveness of the development has been confirmed during industrial tests. In some cases, the use of a reagent on mixed ores allows for an increase in extraction by 15-20% compared to analogues and other types of reagents.
"We have developed different solutions for the technological features of different industries. At the moment, the range of hydroxamates includes 20 brands adapted to different types of factories and ores, including the processing of iron-containing raw materials. The revival of this class of chemical compounds represents an investment in increasing profitability and technological development of domestic enterprises. Our team not only helps you choose the right brand, but also provides full technological support for implementation: from staff training to building production processes," says Alexey Marfikin, CEO of Flotent Chemicals.