Diversity of China's Phosphate Resources and Innovative Application of Photoelectric Mineral Processing Technology

China's phosphate resources are rich and diverse, mainly including sedimentary phosphate rock deposits, metamorphic phosphate deposits, endogenous apatite deposits, weathering secondary phosphate deposits and guano phosphate deposits. Each type of deposit has its own unique formation period, geological background and mineral characteristics.

Sedimentary phosphate rock deposits

The Sinian-Cambrian period is the main mineralization period of China's marine sedimentary phosphate rock deposits. These deposits are mainly distributed in Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan and other places in the Yangtze region, forming the Hunan-Guizhou mineralization belt, the Shaanxi-Hubei mineralization belt and the Zhejiang-Guangxi mineralization belt. Among them, the Doushantuo Formation is the largest phosphate sedimentary layer in China, and the Meishucun Formation constitutes the second largest phosphate sedimentary layer after the Doushantuo Formation.

Sinian phosphate deposits: mainly concentrated in the Yangtze phosphorus area, especially in Guizhou and Hubei. The phosphorus-bearing strata of the Doushantuo Formation are composed of dolomite, phosphorite, claystone and its transitional rocks. Most industrial ore layers are medium-thick ore bodies with inclined to gently inclined directions, and collophanite is the main useful mineral.

Cambrian phosphate deposits: distributed in Yunnan, Sichuan and Shaanxi, forming a nearly north-south belt distribution. The Zhongyi Village Section of the Yuhu Village Formation of the Meishucun Stage of the Lower Cambrian is the most important phosphorus-bearing stratum, with large-scale phosphorite deposits. The ore layer structure varies from simple to complex. The phosphorus-bearing minerals are mainly collophanite, and the gangue minerals include calcite, dolomite, etc.

Phosphorus-accumulating area: 

Qianzhong Basin: Located in the Kaiyang-Weng'an area of Guizhou, the phosphorus-forming age is the Doushantuo period of the Sinian Period. It has super-large phosphate deposits, such as Kaiyang and Weng'an, which are famous for their rich ores and high grades.

Phosphorus-accumulating area in western Hubei: also formed in the late Sinian period, mainly siliceous calcareous phosphorite, with an average P2O5 grade of more than 20%.

East Yunnan Phosphorus Basin: Phosphorus was formed in the Meishucun Period of the Early Cambrian. The ore body is shallowly buried, with a large amount of open-pit mining, and is accompanied by minerals such as vanadium, nickel, and molybdenum.

Metamorphic Phosphorus Deposits

This type of deposit was formed in the Early Precambrian (Archean and Proterozoic) and is widely distributed in the North China Continental Core, the southern part of Liaoning and Jilin-the northern part of North Korea. They have undergone complex metamorphism and formed two major types of deposits: greenstone belt type and sedimentary metamorphic type. Representative deposits include the Zhaobinggou Phosphorus Deposit in Fengning, Hebei, and the Wulan Wusu Phosphorus Deposit in Jianping, Liaoning, which are low-grade, easy-to-select apatite deposits.

Endogenous Apatite Deposits

Endogenous apatite deposits are usually related to mantle-derived magmatic activity, and the production age is mostly from the Proterozoic to the Paleozoic. Although this type of deposit is not as large as the phosphorite deposit in terms of reserves, it is still an important source of phosphorus due to its easy selection and high comprehensive utilization value. A typical example is the Fanshan iron-phosphate mine in Zhuolu, Hebei, where the average grade of P2O5 is greater than 11% and the total iron mass fraction is about 13%.

Weathered secondary phosphate deposits

Weathered secondary phosphate deposits refer to deposits formed after the original phosphorus-containing layer undergoes physical and chemical weathering and leaching. They are widely distributed in China, but the reserves are not large, mainly concentrated in Sichuan, Guangxi, Hunan, Yunnan and other provinces. Such deposits are generally divided into weathering and leaching-residual type and weathering-redeposition type. The former enriches the phosphorus residues of the original phosphorus-containing layer through weathering, while the latter is formed by the re-deposition of phosphorus ores or phosphorus-containing layers exposed to the surface after being invaded by the sea.

Guano phosphate deposits

Guano phosphate deposits are formed on coastal islands. Due to the different formation environments, they are divided into two categories: soluble and leached. They are small and rich, and can be easily used directly as fertilizers, but the resources are limited. There is a certain distribution on the coastal islands in southern China, and many mines have been mined out by traditional methods.

China's phosphate resources are rich and diverse, mainly sedimentary phosphorite. Although other types of deposits are not as large as the former in terms of quantity and reserves, they also have their own characteristics and play an important role in the comprehensive development and utilization of China's phosphorus resources. Different types of phosphate deposits play an irreplaceable role in regional economic development and phosphate fertilizer production due to their unique mineralization laws and distribution characteristics.

After understanding the temporal and spatial distribution and mineralization laws of China's phosphate deposits, the introduction of photoelectric beneficiation technology is of great significance for improving the processing and utilization efficiency and environmental benefits of phosphate resources. The following will introduce the role of photoelectric beneficiation and its application potential in China's phosphate industry in combination with the above content.

The role of photoelectric beneficiation

1. Improve beneficiation efficiency and recovery rate

Traditional beneficiation methods such as gravity beneficiation and flotation have limitations in dealing with complex mineral combinations, especially when facing low-grade and difficult-to-benefit ores. Photoelectric beneficiation is based on the differences in the optical properties of the mineral surface (color, gloss, reflectivity, etc.), which can effectively identify and separate the target minerals and significantly improve the beneficiation efficiency and recovery rate.

2. Reduce energy consumption and environmental pollution

Photoelectric beneficiation does not require the use of large amounts of water or chemicals, reducing dependence on large amounts of water resources and environmental pollution caused by chemicals. This is essential for environmental protection. In addition, due to its high efficiency and energy-saving characteristics, photoelectric beneficiation can also reduce production costs and improve the economic benefits of enterprises.

3. Strong adaptability and wide range of applications

Photoelectric beneficiation technology is not only suitable for high-grade rich ores, but also for low-grade lean ores and tailings re-selection. For endogenous apatite deposits, which are easy to select but have high comprehensive utilization value, photoelectric beneficiation can further optimize product quality and achieve simultaneous recovery of multiple valuable elements. At the same time, this technology can also be applied to metamorphic phosphate deposits and weathered secondary phosphate deposits to help develop ore resources that are difficult to handle with traditional beneficiation methods.

4. Promote refined management

By introducing advanced sensing technology and automated control systems, the photoelectric beneficiation system can monitor changes in mineral properties in real time and adjust process parameters as needed to ensure a stable and efficient sorting process. This helps enterprises implement refined management and improve overall operational levels.

5. Support sustainable development

As the world's attention to green mining continues to increase, the use of clean and efficient photoelectric beneficiation technology meets the requirements of sustainable development. It not only helps protect the natural environment, but also promotes the rational development and utilization of phosphate resources, leaving more valuable natural resources for future generations.