Crystal Clear Selection: Jiangxi Ganzhou Fluorite Mine Intelligent Optical Waste Rejection Project
As an important strategic non-metallic mineral resource, fluorite plays a significant role in fluorine chemicals, metallurgy, new materials, and other fields. As high-quality, high-grade fluorite resources gradually diminish, the demand for efficient utilization of medium and low-grade ore resources continues to rise. A large fluorite mining enterprise in Ganzhou, Jiangxi introduced an intelligent optical waste rejection system...
Case Overview
As an important strategic non-metallic mineral resource, fluorite plays a significant role in fluorine chemicals, metallurgy, new materials, and other fields. As high-quality, high-grade fluorite resources gradually diminish, the demand for efficient utilization of medium and low-grade ore resources continues to rise. A large fluorite mining enterprise in Ganzhou, Jiangxi addressed issues such as low efficiency of traditional manual sorting, high labor intensity, and feed grade fluctuations caused by waste rock contamination by introducing an intelligent optical waste rejection system in the pre-concentration stage. Through digital identification and automated sorting, the project achieved ore pre-concentration, early waste rock removal, and intelligent upgrade of the production process…
Project Parameters
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Application Scenario | Fluorite Mine Intelligent Sorting |
| Project Location | Ganzhou, Jiangxi |
| Processing Capacity | - |
Case Summary
As an important strategic non-metallic mineral resource, fluorite plays a significant role in fluorine chemicals, metallurgy, new materials, and other fields. As high-quality, high-grade fluorite resources gradually diminish, the demand for efficient utilization of medium and low-grade ore resources continues to rise.
A large fluorite mining enterprise in Ganzhou, Jiangxi addressed issues such as low efficiency of traditional manual sorting, high labor intensity, and feed grade fluctuations caused by waste rock contamination by introducing an intelligent optical waste rejection system in the pre-concentration stage. Through digital identification and automated sorting, the project achieved ore pre-concentration, early waste rock removal, and intelligent upgrade of the production process, not only effectively replacing the traditional manual sorting model but also further improving resource utilization efficiency, providing a new practical pathway for green fluorite mine development.
Background and Challenges
Challenges of Manual Sorting and Medium/Low-Grade Ore Utilization Pressure
Ganzhou, Jiangxi is an important fluorite resource-producing area in China, with deposit types primarily consisting of quartz-fluorite and calcite-fluorite types. With long-term exploitation, high-grade ore resources are gradually diminishing, and currently mined ores typically contain significant amounts of granite, quartzite, and wall rock inclusions.
The project faced the following challenges during production:
Limitations of Traditional Manual Sorting Efficiency
Traditional processes primarily rely on manual ore identification and picking, which not only involves high labor intensity but also, as production scales expand, makes it difficult for manual identification efficiency and consistency to meet continuous production demands.
Feed Ore Grade Fluctuations Affecting Downstream Production
Wall rock and waste rock mixed in during mining directly enter the grinding and flotation system, causing:
- Flotation feed ore grade fluctuations
- Increased difficulty in reagent control
- Continuously rising grinding energy consumption
- Increased non-valuable material processing volume
Higher Requirements for Green Mine Construction
Against a backdrop of continuously rising environmental requirements, reducing tailings discharge, improving resource recovery rates, and lowering unit energy consumption have become key objectives for sustainable mine development.
Solution
Color + XRT Dual-Machine Synergistic Intelligent Sorting Solution
Targeting the differences between fluorite ore and gangue minerals in color characteristics, crystal structure, and X-ray response features, the project adopted a “Screening + Dual-Machine Synergy” intelligent pre-concentration solution.
Phase 1: Color Vision Sorting
Targeting 20mm-50mm particle size ore, the system acquires ore surface characteristic information through a high-resolution color vision system.
Combined with AI image recognition algorithms, the system rapidly analyzes ore color, texture, crystal characteristics, and surface differences to achieve preliminary waste rock removal.
Phase 2: X-Ray Transmission Sorting (XRT)
Targeting ores with surfaces covered by mud or sand, ores without distinct color characteristics, and 10mm-20mm medium-fine particle size material, the system further employs XRT identification.
Through differences in X-ray attenuation characteristics among different minerals, the system identifies ore internal structural composition, improving sorting precision under complex ore conditions.
Project Results
After formal commissioning, the system achieved continuous and stable operation, with all indicators meeting expected targets.
Intelligent Replacement of Manual Labor, Improved Production Safety
After the intelligent optical sorting system was put into operation:
- Significant reduction in traditional manual sorting positions
- Reduced personnel labor intensity
- Enhanced production safety levels
- Centralized control and management of the sorting stage achieved
The production model progressively upgraded from traditional manual operation to intelligent operation.
Precise Waste Rejection, Ore Pre-concentration Achieved
Under raw ore grade averaging 30%-35% CaF2 conditions, the project achieved:
- Pre-waste rejection capacity: 20%-35%
- Waste rock CaF2 grade controlled at 5%-8%
- Enriched ore CaF2 grade increased to 45%-50%
Effectively improving the quality stability of flotation feed ore.
Reduced Comprehensive Production Costs
Through early removal of low-value gangue:
- Comprehensive energy consumption reduced by approximately 10%-20%
- Comprehensive reagent consumption reduced by approximately 10%-15%
- Reduced ineffective grinding load
- Reduced equipment wear, while effectively improving downstream beneficiation system operational efficiency.
Promoting comprehensive resource utilization, the rejected coarse waste rock has not undergone chemical treatment and can be applied based on material properties to:
- Construction aggregate
- Road base fill
- Mine backfill
Reducing tailings stockpiling pressure, improving solid waste resource utilization rates, and further advancing green mine construction.
Customer Testimonial
“Previously, ore sorting primarily relied on manual experience-based judgment, with certain limitations in both efficiency and consistency. After the intelligent optical sorting system went into operation, the ore pre-concentration results were evident, downstream production became more stable, and production costs and personnel labor intensity were effectively reduced.”
--- Project Manager
Conclusion
The successful implementation of the Jiangxi Ganzhou fluorite mine intelligent optical waste rejection project has provided a new technological pathway for medium and low-grade fluorite resource development.
Through intelligent optical technology replacing traditional manual sorting, not only was production efficiency improved and cost optimization achieved, but the mine was also propelled toward digitalization, intelligence, and green sustainable development.