Recovery of iron minerals from low-grade iron ore tailings by conducting beneficiation studies using hydrocyclone

摘要

Detailed mineralogical and geochemical studies are carried out on iron ore tailings from Donimalai iron ore deposits (DIOD), India. The mineralogical studies using X-ray powder diffraction on the tailing samples shows the presence of major iron (Fe) bearing phase hematite (Fe2O3) and the gangue minerals such as alumina and silica are present in the form of kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)_4 and gibbsite (Al(OHJj). The geochemical study of the tailings shows the assay amount up to 56.32% Fe, 9.35% SiO_2, 5.82% Al2O3 0.057% P and 2.60% loss on ignition (LOI). An elaborate study on the tailings was carried out with the help of DLS (diffraction light scattering system), SEM-EDS (scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectroscopic analysis) which shows that most of the slime particles lie below the range of 150fim to 70/um, only less number of fractions are found in the lesser micron size. Moreover, tailing contains Fe (iron) bearing hematite with interlocking gangue minerals. The detailed liberation analysis of the tailings shows the major iron-bearing phase has been present in coarser size and more gangue minerals are present in the finer fractions. Beneficiation is carried out for the tailings using hydrocyclone. Based on selection of different process parameters such as spigot diameter (mm), vortex finder diameter (mm), pressure (psi), and solid concentration (%) the beneficiation is performed. Beneficiation through hydrocyclone increases the Fe content from 56.32 to 62.04% with a solid recovery rate of 32%, which can be utilized for blast furnace operation.