Cleaning talc samples from iron-containing minerals
Abstract
In studying the material composition of talc ore samples, a comprehensive range of chemical, spectral, optical-emission spectral, granulometric, X-ray structural-phase, physic-mechanical, and mineralogical analyses were conducted. According to the results of granulometric analysis, the distribution of magnesium oxide is higher in coarser fractions compared to finer fractions. The silicon oxide content is higher in the finer fractions. Gravitational enrichment was carried out for different size classes to separate the light fraction from the heavy minerals. When using dry electromagnetic separation, both magnetic and non- magnetic fractions were obtained at a current strength of 5 A, with the yield of the non-magnetic fraction being 82.8%, and the magnetic fraction being 17.2%. Using electromagnetic separation on the talc sample, 65.7% of the free iron-containing minerals can be removed from the operation. Despite the high extraction of iron into the magnetic fraction, 2.84% of iron remains in the non-magnetic part with an extraction of 34.3%. As a result, using both gravitational enrichment and electromagnetic separation, 76.6% of iron- containing minerals can be extracted. In the tailings, the talc content reaches up to 77.2%, with a recovery of 90.7%.