Hematit/Limonit İçeren Bir Demir Cevherinin Zenginleştirme Olanaklarının İncelenmesi

Abstract

In this study, detailed studies were carried out to determine the beneficiation behavior of the ore with a representative sample collected from the old ore benches of an iron mine located within the borders of the Hekimhan region of Malatya province. As a result of detailed characterization studies, it is determined in despite of, the run-of-mine ore had a high total Fe grade of 50.56% it contained significant impurities. With the results of detailed mineral liberation analysis (MLA), it was determined that the main iron source in the ore sample was hematite and limonite (goethite). It was determined that the main impurities in the ore were quartz and K feldspar (≌11%) and lower amounts of biotite, muscovite, Si-Al clay minerals and Fe Oxide/Hydroxide clay mixtures. It was observed that the amounts of binary and tertiary locked particles are high even in the finest fraction (-75+25 µm). It was determined from Davis Tube test and Satmagan analyzes that the ore contains approximately %4 magnetite. It was determined from Davis Tube test and Satmagan analyzes that the ore contains approximately %4 magnetite. A concentrate with 65.57% Fe grade could be obtained with a 7.26% Fe recovery from run-of-mine ore by low intensity magnetic separation. In order to determine the beneficiation behavior of the ore sample by gravity concentration, heavy liquid tests were carried out at different densities on the -30+20 mm, -20+10 mm, -10+5 mm, -5+1 mm, -1+0.5 mm and -0.5+0.212 mm size fractions. Heavy liquid test results showed that the obtained -30+10 mm and -10+0.212 mm concentrates have properties that can be used in the iron and steel industry by blending with high grade ores. The main impurities exceeding the limit values in both concentrates were determined as Al2O3, TiO2, Ni and (K2O+ Na2O), which represents the total amount of alkali. 3 different experimental methods in which gravity concentration, magnetic separation, hydraulic classification, selective flocculation and flotation methods were used together and step by step to determine the beneficiation behavior of the sample in finer sizes. Among these methods, the highest mass recovery (69.59%) and the highest iron recovery (80.39%) compared to run-of-mine ore were obtained in the magnetic separation stages following gravity concentration. Although there was an increase in the total Fe grade and a decrease in the impurity content of the final concentrate obtained through fine grinding and subsequent selective flocculation studies, there was a significant decrease in the total Fe recovery (44.07%) and the amount of concentrate (37.26%). The highest quality product was obtained as a result of the high intensity wet magnetic separation test performed by grinding the ore at -53 µm. Under this condition, 64.20% t of the run-of-mine ore was concentrated with 60.94% Fe grade and 77.09% Fe recovery. During the studies on sinter/pellet production, many physical and physicochemical beneficiation methods have been used individually and in combination on the ore sample in different sizes. The concentrate closest to the pellet quality was obtained with 60.94% Fe grade and 77.09% Fe recovery by experimental studies. This result indicates that the ore mineralogy and particle locking relationships are complex even at the finest sizes. Similar SiO2, K2O and Al2O3 values in all concentrates are a clear indication that the binary locked of quartz and K-feldspar grains and hematite and Fe oxide/hydroxide grains continues in all size fractions. Similarly, the Al2O3 content remaining at high values is associated with insufficient liberation of Fe Oxide/Hydroxide clay mixtures.