OVERVIEW OF PHOSPHATE ORE

Phosphate ore is a non-metallic mineral dominated by phosphate minerals, with calcium phosphate as its core chemical component. It often contains associated impurity elements such as silicon, aluminum and iron. Phosphate ore typically appears in gray, brown or yellow hues, and its crystal structure is mainly hexagonal system. With a Mohs hardness ranging from 3 to 5, it features relatively loose texture and is easy to crush and grind for processing. Phosphorus is an indispensable element for living organisms and also a core raw material in agriculture and chemical engineering sectors. Therefore, phosphate ore is hailed as the "lifeblood of agriculture" and the "cornerstone of chemical engineering", serving as a strategic mineral resource vital to national economy and people's livelihood.

Classification by Mineral Composition

Apatite-type Phosphate Ore: The most common type, dominated by fluorapatite as the primary mineral. It features high phosphorus content and relatively low beneficiation difficulty, serving as the main raw material for industrial production.
Phosphorite-type Phosphate Ore: Also known as collophanite, it has fine mineral particles and is often closely associated with minerals such as carbonates and silicates. Characterized by significant grade fluctuations, it requires sophisticated beneficiation processes to concentrate phosphorus elements.

The processing of phosphate ore requires selecting different processes based on its type and application:

Phosphate Fertilizer Production: Low-grade phosphate ore must first undergo beneficiation processes such as crushing, grinding and flotation to increase its P₂O₅ content, and then be converted into phosphate fertilizer via the acid process or thermal process.
Yellow Phosphorus and Phosphide Manufacturing: Extending to the new energy sector, these products are used for manufacturing cathode materials of lithium iron phosphate batteries. This application demands extremely high purity of phosphate ore, which requires the adoption of ultrafine grinding + chemical purification processes to remove impurity elements and ensure that the products meet the specifications for high-end applications.

KEY APPLICATION AREAS OF PHOSPHATE ORE

As a phosphorus-bearing strategic non-metallic mineral, processed phosphate ore products are widely used in key sectors of the national economy including agriculture, chemical engineering, new energy and building materials. Phosphate ore powders with different purities and particle sizes correspond to differentiated application scenarios.

Agricultural Sector

The most fundamental and important application of phosphate ore. After undergoing crushing, grinding and beneficiation for enrichment, phosphate ore can be processed into various types of phosphate fertilizers via acid or thermal processes. It is a key mineral resource for ensuring increased grain production and improving soil fertility.

Chemical Engineering Sector

Industrial-grade phosphoric acid produced from phosphate ore serves as a key raw material for manufacturing detergents, food additives and flame retardants. Further intensive processing can yield yellow phosphorus and red phosphorus, which are used in the production of pesticides, pharmaceutical intermediates and semiconductor materials.

New Energy Sector

With the explosive growth of the new energy vehicle and energy storage industries, phosphate ore has become a critical upstream raw material in the lithium battery industry chain. Phosphoric acid produced from high-purity phosphate ore can react with lithium carbonate, iron powder and other materials to synthesize lithium iron phosphate—the mainstream cathode material for power batteries and energy storage batteries at present.

Building Materials and Other Sectors

The waste residue generated from phosphate ore processing can be used to produce gypsum boards and cement retarders, realizing resource recycling. Some phosphate ores can be directly applied to manufacturing phosphate cement. In the metallurgical industry, phosphate ore can serve as a deoxidizer and desulfurizer in steelmaking to improve steel quality.

DEEP GRINDING PROCESS OF PHOSPHATE ORE

As a comprehensive solution provider of grinding equipment, Shanghai Zenith fully understands the needs and pain points of enterprises in the phosphate ore grinding process. We are committed to delivering high-efficiency, energy-saving and eco-friendly grinding equipment and services to our customers. Drawing on nearly 40 years of experience in mill manufacturing, Shanghai Zenith has specially launched the LM Vertical Mill and MTW European Trapezium Mill, which adopt world-leading grinding technologies and processes, significantly boosting production efficiency.

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EQUIPMENT SELECTION AND TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES

MTW EUROPEAN TRAPEZIUM MILL

Core Technology Empowers, Unlocks New Heights of Grinding.
Equipped with a customized core grinding host and adopting an integral bevel gear transmission structure, MTW European Trapezium Mill delivers higher transmission efficiency and more stable operation. Combined with a high-efficiency classifier, it enables precise control of finished product fineness ranging from 0.045 to 1.6 mm, ensuring that phosphate ore particles are stably maintained within the target range with a narrow and uniform particle size distribution. This lays a solid foundation for improving the compaction density and cycle performance of batteries.

Intelligent & Eco-friendly Energy-saving & High-efficiency

Thin Oil Lubrication System, New-type Suspended Cage Powder Classifier

Upgraded Replacement for Traditional Raymond Mills and Pendulum Mills

State-Patented, Eco-friendly & Energy-saving

LM Vertical Roller Mill

High-efficiency & Intelligent Adaptation, Outstanding Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement Advantages.
Integrating the full-process functions of crushing, drying, grinding, classification and conveying, the LM Vertical Mill adopts a PLC fully automatic control system, which enables remote operation and real-time parameter monitoring, significantly reducing manual intervention. In terms of capacity adaptation, the production line can be flexibly configured according to project requirements, with a single-machine production capacity ranging from 3 to 170 T/H.

High-Efficiency Powder Grinding Clean & Energy-Saving

Features a new grinding device and automated electronic control system

Negative pressure dust containment, high-efficiency pulse dust removal

The grinding rollers can be flipped out of the machine for easy maintenance.