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Why can crushing and grinding cinnabar ore cause losses during flotation?
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Crushing and grinding cinnabar ore can lead to losses during flotation because the mineral is inherently soft and friable.
To effectively separate the mineral, the ore must be reduced to a specific size to achieve liberation. However, due to the physical properties of cinnabar, this grinding process often results in the creation of fine particles known as slimes. These slimes are difficult to recover in the flotation tank, leading to significant material loss during the concentration process.1