Wet beneficiation of kaolin is another method of processing kaolin; compared to dry processing, it involves using water as a processing medium to separate, purify and process kaolin through steps such as suspension, sedimentation and separation. Water separates impurities from the clay during this process by forming a slurry mixture. The clay is then dispersed in water and stirred to break up any large particles or aggregates. Subsequently, flocculation and centrifugation are used to separate unwanted minerals and organics from the kaolin. Wet beneficiation is usually suitable for fields with strict product purity and particle distribution requirements, such as ceramics, enamel, advanced ceramic materials, etc. The following are the steps and main advantages of kaolin wet beneficiation:

1. Ore Crushing and Grinding: Like dry processing, the first step in wet processing is to crush the raw kaolin ore into properly sized particles and perform the necessary grinding to refine particle size and increase surface area.

2. Flotation or agitation: Suspend the crushed and ground kaolin particles in water, and suspend the particles by stirring or injecting air bubbles to realize the particles’ dispersion.

3. Classification and Sorting: Particles are separated by settling and classification by taking advantage of the weight and size differences of the particles. Usually, equipment such as settling tanks or centrifuges are used to separate particles of different sizes.

4. Sedimentation and Separation: After agitation and classification, particles settle in water according to size and weight. The particles can be further separated depending on the settling rate to obtain the desired particle size.

5. Washing: Precipitated particles may also have some impurities, so a washing step is required to remove impurities and contaminants attached to the surface of the particles.

6. Filtration and Drying: Washed kaolin granules can be filtered to remove excess moisture and then dried to reduce the moisture content of the granules for future processing and applications.

7. Subdivision and packaging: After the above processing steps, kaolin particles can be subdivided to obtain products within a specific particle size range. The final product can be packaged for future sale and use.

Wet beneficiation can better control particles’ dispersion, separation and purification process and is suitable for applications that require highly pure and uniform particles, such as ceramics, enamel, and preparation of advanced ceramic materials. Processing parameters must be strictly controlled during processing to obtain a final product that meets the requirements.