Ukwahlukanisa ngamandla omkhathi kuyindlela eyaziwayo futhi eyisisekelo esetshenziswa ekucubunguleni amaminerali ukuhlukanisa amaminerali anenzuzo kusuka ku-gangue ngokusekelwe emihlukweni ekuminyene. Isebenzisa amandla emvelo omkhathi ukuze kufezeke ukwahlukanisa okusebenzayo, okwenza kube yindlela ebalulekile ekuthuthukiseni izimbiwa ezahlukahlukene. Ekucubunguleni amaminerali, ukwahlukanisa ngamandla omkhathi kudlala indima ebalulekile ekugxiliseni amaminerali afana negolide, ithini, i-chromite, nezinye izinsimbi ezisindayo ngokusebenzisa ukuminyana kwazo okuphezulu uma kuqhathaniswa nezinto zokuchitha ezihambisanayo. Le ndlela iyaziswa kakhulu ngezici zayo ezihambisana nemvelo, njengoba ayidingi ukusetshenziswa kwamakhemikhali, okwenza kube yisinqumo esizinzile kwezemvelo sokuthola amaminerali. I-Alicoco Mineral Technology Co., Limited, umholi emisha kwezixazululo zokucubungula amaminerali, igxile kubuchwepheshe obuthuthukisiwe bamaminerali ngamandla omkhathi obhekana nezinselelo zokwahlukanisa amaminerali anezinhlamvu ezinhle ngempumelelo ephezulu kanye nesibopho sezimvelo.

Ngokusebenzisa izakhiwo zomzimba kunokuba izinto zamakhemikhali, ukucubungula amaminerali ngamandla okudonsa kugcina ubuqotho bemikhiqizo yamaminerali futhi kunciphisa umthelela emvelweni. Lesi singeniso sibeka isiteji sokuqonda ukuthi ukwahlukanisa ngamandla okudonsa kusebenza kanjani, imishini ehilelekile, kanye nezinzuzo nemikhawulo yayo ezikhathini zokuthuthukisa amaminerali zesimanje.

Ukuhlukaniswa ngokusekelwe emandleni omfutho (gravity separation) kusekelwe emgomeni wokuthi izinhlayiya ezinezisindo ezihlukene ziphendula ngokuhlukile emandleni omfutho lapho zicwiliswe emanzini noma emoyeni. Izinhlayiya ezisindayo zivame ukucwila ngokushesha futhi ziqongelele phansi esitsheni sokuhlukanisa, kanti izinhlayiya ezilula zihlala zicwile noma zinyukele phezulu. Lelihlukano esivinini sokucwila liyisisekelo sokuhlukanisa izimbiwa ezibalulekile ezintweni ezilula ezingenasidingo ngempumelelo.

Inqubo ithonywa izinhlobonhlobo zamandla okubalwa kuwo amandla omfutho womhlaba (gravitational), amandla okuzungeza (centrifugal), namandla okungqubuzana (frictional). Isikhungo esiyisikhungo, sivame ukuba ngamanzi ezitshalweni zokucubungula amaminerali, sisebenza njengesikhungo esithwala okubuye sithuthukise ukuhlala okuhlukile ngokunikeza amandla okuhlala phezulu (buoyancy) namandla okudonsa (drag forces) ahlangana nesisindo sezingxenye. Lezi zindawano zivumela ukuhlukaniswa kwezingxenye ngokuminyana (density) nosayizi. Izikhalu eziyimfihlo zika-Alicoco kanye nezinye izinto zokuhlukanisa ngamandla omfutho womhlaba zithuthukisa lezi zimiso zomzimba ukuze kufezeke ukuhlukaniswa okungcono kakhulu.

Ukuqonda lemiqondo kubalulekile ekwakhiweni nasekuqhutshweni kwezifunda zokuhlukanisa ngokusekelwe emandleni omfutho ezandisa ukutholwa nokuhlanzeka kwezinto eziqoqiwe ngenkathi kuncishiswa izindleko zokusebenza nomthelela emvelweni.

Ukucubungula amaminerali ngokusebenzisa amandla adonsela phansi kuhilela izigaba eziningana ezibalulekile ukuqinisekisa ukuhlukaniswa okuphumelelayo kwamaminerali anenzuzo. Isinyathelo sokuqala ukulungiswa kwempahla, okubandakanya ukuchoboza nokugaya umhlaba ukukhulula amagugu amaminerali kusuka ku-gangue ezungezile. Ukuhlukaniswa kosayizi ofanele kulandela ukuhlukanisa izinhlayiya zibe izigaba ezifanele ukuhlukaniswa kwamandla adonsela phansi, njengoba usayizi wezinhlayiya uthinta kakhulu ukusebenza kokuhlukaniswa.

Okulandelayo, ukuhlukaniswa kwenzeka emkhathini woketshezi. Amanzi noma umoya kungena ukuze kuqinisekiswe amandla omfutho omkhulu asebenza ezingxenyeni, okwenza kube lula ukunyakaza kwazo ngokusekelwe umehluko wobuningi. Phakathi kwalesi sigaba, izingxenye zisebenzisana namandla omfutho omkhulu, amandla okujikijela, namandla okungqubuzana, okuhlanganisa kukhuthaza ukuhlukaniswa ngobuningi emkhunjini wokuhlukanisa. Izingxenye eziningi zihamba phansi noma ngaphakathi, kanti izingxenye ezilula zihamba phezulu noma ngaphandle.

Izinqubo zokuhlala nokuhlukaniswa ngobuningi ngaphakathi kumadivayisi afana nama-jigs, amatafula okugubha, noma abaqongeleli abajikelezayo avumela ukuhlukaniswa ngokomzimba kwezinhlamvu zamaminerali. Amaminerali anobuningi obuningi ahlala ezindaweni zokuhlanganisa, kanti izinto ezilula ezilahlwayo zakha imfucuza. Ekugcineni, imikhiqizo iqoqwa ngokwehlukana, okwenza ukuthi kube lula ukutholwa nokulahlwa ngempumelelo.

Ubuchwepheshe be-Alicoco bokucubungula amaminerali ngokusebenzisa amandla omfutho (gravity) bugxile ekwenzeni ngcono lezi zigaba, ikakhulukazi emamineralini amancane anzima ukwahlukanisa, ngokuklama imishini eyandisa umthamo wokwahlukanisa nokukhiqiza kancane ngenkathi kuncishiswa ukusetshenziswa kwamanzi namandla.

Izinhlobo eziningana zemishini zibalulekile ekucubunguleni amaminerali ngokusebenzisa amandla omfutho, ngayinye yakhelwe ukusebenzisa umehluko wobuningi (density) ngemisebenzi ehlukile:

Umugqa womkhiqizo ka-Alicoco uhlanganisa izikhulisi ezintsha ezijikelezayo nemishini ehambisanayo yokuhlukanisa amandla adonsela phansi eyenzelwe ukubhekana nezinselelo zokucubungula amaminerali ngendlela enobungani nemvelo futhi ephumelelayo. Ngolwazi oluningiliziwe lomkhiqizo, sicela uvakashele i-Imikhiqizo ikhasi.

Ukwahlukanisa ngamandla adonsela phansi kunikeza izinzuzo eziningana ezibalulekile ezenza kube yindlela ekhethwayo kwezicelo eziningi zokucubungula amaminerali. Okokuqala, kuyindlela eshibhile uma iqhathaniswa nezindlela ezisebenzisa amakhemikhali amaningi njengokuhlanganisa, njengoba idinga izinto ezisetshenziswayo ezimbalwa nengqalasizinda elula. Okwesibili, iyingeyona imvelo ngoba igwema ukusetshenziswa kwamakhemikhali ayingozi, okwenza ilungele imisebenzi ebucayi kwezemvelo. Okwesithathu, ukwahlukanisa ngamandla adonsela phansi kusebenza kahle kakhulu kumafutha amakhulu lapho umehluko wamandla adonsela phansi ubonakala khona, okwenza ukubuyiswa okuphezulu kwamaminerali asindayo.

Nokho, ukuhlukaniswa ngamandla omzimba (gravity separation) nakho kunezinkinga. Ukusebenza kwayo kuncipha ngezingcezu ezincane kakhulu ngenxa yokuncipha kwezivinini zokuhlala ezihlukene, okungenza ukuhlukaniswa kungacaci. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukwehluka okukhulu kwesisindo phakathi kwezinsimbi nodoti kuyadingeka ukuze kube nokuhlukaniswa okusebenzayo, okukhawulela ukusetshenziswa kwayo ezintweni ezinamaminerali anesisindo esifanayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ezinye izinsimbi zingase zingafaneleki ukuhlukaniswa ngamandla omzimba kuphela futhi zidinge izindlela zokucubungula ezihlanganisiwe ukuze kutholwe okuningi.

U-Alicoco ubhekana nalezi zinselelo ngokuthuthukisa ubuchwepheshe obuthuthukisiwe bokugxilisa amandla adonsela phansi athuthukisa ukutholwa kwezinhlayiya ezinhle futhi andisa ukusetshenziswa kokuhlukanisa amandla adonsela phansi ezinhlelweni zamaminerali eziyinkimbinkimbi. Izixazululo zabo zihlanganisa ukuhlukanisa amandla adonsela phansi nokuhlukaniswa kwe-flotation noma okwe-magnetic ukuze kukhuliswe ukutholwa okuphelele nokusebenza kahle kwenqubo.

Uhlukaniso ngamandla ludume kakhulu ezindaweni eziningi zokucubungula izimbiwa. Lusetshenziswa kabanzi ekutholeni izimbiwa eziyigugu nezisindayo njengegazi, ithini, i-chromite, ne-tungsten, lapho amandla alo okuhlanganisa izinhlayiya ezisindayo eyaziswa kakhulu. Izindlela zamandla ziphinde zisetshenziswe ekuhlanganiseni izimbiwa ngaphambi kokucubungulwa okunye, kunciphisa umthwalo ezintweni ezisebenza ngaphansi futhi kuthuthukise umnotho wonke wesitshalo.

Imboni yamalahle izuzwa ngokuhlukaniswa ngamandla ngokukhipha kahle izinto ezingcolile njengamatshe ne-shale, kuthuthukisa ikhwalithi yamalahle. Izimbiwa zezimboni ezifana ne-quartz ne-feldspar zithuthukiswa kusetshenziswa izindlela zamandla ukuthuthukisa ukufaneleka kwazo kwezicelo zokukhiqiza nokwakha.

Ubuchwepheshe buka-Alicoco busekela lezi zicelo ngokuhlinzeka ngemishini yokuhlukanisa amagugu eqinile, enokusebenza kahle kakhulu, esiza amakhasimende ukuthi afeze izinhloso zawo zokucubungula ngenkathi egcina izinto ezithinta imvelo nezomnotho. Ukuze uthole izifundo zokubhekisisa kanye neziphakamiso zamaphrojekthi ezikhombisa izicelo zangempela, sicela ubheke ekhasini le-Izingqinamba lethu.

Siphetha ngokuthi, ukuhlukanisa ngamandla okudonsa kuhlala kuyisisekelo sokucubungula amaminerali ngenxa yobulula bawo, ukonga izindleko, nokuba nomthelela omncane emvelweni. Ngokusebenzisa umehluko wamandla okudonsa, kunikeza indlela ephumelelayo yokuthola amaminerali anenzuzo emadwaleni, ikakhulukazi izinhlayiya ezinkulu nezimaphakathi. Uma ihlanganiswa nezinye izindlela zokuthuthukisa, ukuhlukanisa ngamandla okudonsa kungathuthukisa ukutholwa okuphelele kanye nekhwalithi yomkhiqizo ezinhlelweni zamadwala eziyinkimbinkimbi.

I-Alicoco Mineral Technology Co., Limited isihamba phambili ekuthuthukiseni ubuchwepheshe bokucubungula amaminerali ngokusebenzisa amandla omfutho, igxile ezixazululweni ezintsha ezibhekana nezinselelo zokuhlukanisa amaminerali anezinhlayiya ezincane ngendlela enobungani nemvelo. Ukuzibophezela kwabo kwekhwalithi nasekugcineni imvelo kubenza babe uzakwethu othembekile embonini yezimayela emhlabeni wonke.

Ukuze uthole ulwazi olwengeziwe mayelana nemishini ye-Alicoco yokuhlukanisa ngokusebenzisa amandla omfutho kanye nezixazululo zokucubungula amaminerali, sicela uvakashele i-Ikhaya noma uxhumane nenkampani ngqo nge-Xhumana-1 ikhasi.

Alicoco Mineral Technology Co., Limited iyinkampani ehamba phambili esekelwe eGuangzhou egxile ekucubunguleni imayini nasezixazululweni zezinto ezithuthukisiwe. Yasungulwa ngo-2015, i-Alicoco igxile ekuthuthukiseni nasekukhiqizeni ama-spiral concentrators anamalungelo obunikazi kanye nezinye izinsiza zokuhlukanisa ezisekelwe emoyeni ezihlelwe ngokukhethekile ukuze zisebenze ekucubunguleni igolide, ekuthuthukiseni ithusi le-lithium, nasekuthuthukiseni imayini yezimboni. Imikhiqizo nezinsizakalo zabo zigcizelela izindlela ezihambisana nemvelo nezintsha eziklanyelwe ukubhekana nezinsimbi ezinzima ukuhlukanisa ezinezimali eziphakeme zokubuyiselwa kanye nezindleko zokusebenza eziphansi.

Ukuzibophezela kwenkampani ku-ucwaningo nentuthuko kuholela ekuthuthukisweni okuqhubekayo ekusebenzeni kahle kokuhlukanisa nasekuqhubekeni kwemvelo. I-Alicoco isekela amakhasimende emhlabeni wonke ngezixazululo ezenziwe ngendlela efanele, isevisi yezobuchwepheshe, nokusekelwa okuphelele ukuze kuthuthukiswe izitshalo zokucubungula amaminerali.

Amakhasimende anentshisekelo yokufunda kabanzi ngamakhono nemikhiqizo ye-Alicoco ayakhuthazwa ukuthi ahlole ama-Imikhiqizo kanye Izindaba izigaba kuwebhusayithi yabo.

Ngemibuzo mayelana nobuchwepheshe bokucubungula amaminerali nge-gravity be-Alicoco, imikhiqizo, noma izinsizakalo, amakhasimende angaba khona nabalingani bangaxhumana ngezindlela eziningi. Vakashela i-Xhumana-1 ikhasi ukuthola imininingwane enemininingwane yokuxhumana, okubandakanya amakheli e-imeyili enkampani nezinombolo zocingo. Ithimba lenkonzo yamakhasimende le-Alicoco lizibophezele ekuhlinzekeni usizo olusheshayo nobuchwepheshe ukusekela izidingo zakho zokucubungula amaminerali.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, amakhasimende angaba khona angathumela imibuzo ngamafomu okuxhumana atholakala emakhasini ahlukahlukene esizindalwazi se-Alicoco, ukuqinisekisa izimpendulo eziqondene nawe nokusekelwa okuphelele.