What Is Antimony Processing? Complete Guide for Beginners

antimony mining

Antimony is a strategic metal used in flame retardants, batteries, alloys, and chemical applications. With growing demand for antimony products worldwide, understanding antimony processing has become increasingly important—especially for beginners entering the mining, metallurgy, or mineral-processing industries.

This complete beginner's guide explains what antimony processing is, how it works, key processing methods, and what equipment is needed to produce high-purity antimony products.

Antimony (Sb) is a semi-metal found mainly in the minerals stibnite (Sb₂S₃) and oxidized antimony ores. The majority of global antimony production comes from stibnite, which must undergo processing to separate and purify the antimony content.

Antimony processing refers to the series of steps used to extract antimony from ore and convert it into usable products such as antimony trioxide (ATO), metallic antimony, or antimony concentrates.

Processing typically includes:

• Crushing and grinding

• Ore beneficiation (separation and concentration)

• Smelting or roasting

• Refining into final antimony products

The goal is to increase antimony grade, remove impurities, and produce either metallic antimony or antimony compounds for industrial use.

Understanding the ore type is the first step for beginners:

1. Sulfide Antimony Ores

Most common type

Primary mineral: stibnite (Sb₂S₃)

Usually processed by flotation

2. Oxide Antimony Ores

Formed by weathering of sulfide ores

Include senarmontite, valentinite, cervantite

Typically processed by gravity separation or direct smelting

3. Mixed Antimony Ores

Contain both sulfide and oxide forms

Require combined beneficiation processes

1. Crushing and Grinding

Antimony ore is crushed and ground to liberate antimony minerals from the surrounding rock. Fine particle size improves recovery during beneficiation.

2. Beneficiation (Concentration)

This step increases the grade of antimony before smelting.

A. Froth Flotation (Most Common Method)

Used primarily for sulfide ores.

Collectors like xanthates or dithiophosphates help stibnite attach to air bubbles and float.

Advantages:

High recovery

Suitable for low-grade ores

B. Gravity Separation

Used for coarse stibnite or oxide ores.

Common equipment includes:

• Shaking tables

• Spiral separators

• Jigs

C. Combined Gravity–Flotation

Ideal for mixed ores where each mineral responds differently.

3. Smelting and Roasting

After beneficiation, antimony concentrate is converted into antimony metal or compounds.

A. Direct Smelting

Used for high-grade sulfide ores.

Produces crude antimony metal through reduction reactions.

B. Roasting–Smelting

Stibnite → roasted to form antimony oxide → reduced to metallic antimony.

C. Blast Furnace and Rotary Kiln Smelting

Used for large-scale production.

4. Refining

Final refining increases purity for industrial uses.

High-purity antimony may undergo:

• Electrolytic refining

• Fire refining

• Vacuum distillation

The final products may include:

• Antimony trioxide (ATO)

• Antimony metal ingots

• Antimony concentrates

Beginners should become familiar with essential equipment:

• Jaw crusher, hammer crusher

• Ball mill and classification equipment

• Flotation cells

• Shaking tables / jigs

• Rotary kiln or furnace

• Thickener and filter press

• Identify the ore type first—processing flows depend heavily on mineral composition.

• Use flotation for sulfide ores—most effective and widely used.

• Consider gravity separation for oxide ores—cost-effective and simple.

• Optimize grinding size—over-grinding may reduce flotation efficiency.

• Recycling process water helps reduce cost and environmental impact.

Antimony processing is the sequence of crushing, concentrating, smelting, and refining antimony ores to produce high-purity metal or antimony compounds. For beginners, understanding the ore type and choosing the correct beneficiation process—flotation, gravity separation, or combined methods—is essential for achieving high recovery and product quality.

As global demand for antimony continues to grow, mastering antimony processing provides valuable opportunities in mining, metallurgy, and industrial production.