UPGRADING OF IRANIAN LOW-GRADE MANGANESE ORE BY PHYSICAL SEPARATION

摘要

Charagah ore deposit is located in the 82 Km at the North-West of Tabriz, Iran. Mineralogical studies performed by XRD, XRF, Optical microscopy and SEM equipped by WDX indicated that the ore is contained 17% pyrolusite, 78% calcite and 3% quartz approximately. Pyrolusite as a main valuable mineral is found in the forms of coarses and fines pyrolusite. The coarse grains pyrolusite with simple texture is liberated in 180 microns. This liberation degree was determined by image analysis software. Another kind of pyrolusite has very complicated texture and interlocking with gangue minerals. This interlocking is even found finer than 10 microns sizes. Because of the significant differences between pyrolusite and gangue minerals, concentration of the ore by gravity separation methods is possible. By combination of jigging, tabling and de-sliming a final concentrate grading of 43.4% MnO and a total recovery up to 59.7% is obtained. This concentrate is suitable for metallurgical consumptions.