Micaceous iron oxide production by application of magnetic separation

In this study, different flowsheet options were evaluated to achieve the best upgrading conditions for a micaceous iron oxide ore. The first option included the recovery of micaceous iron oxide particles using a double stage magnetic separation circuit after the grinding and classifying of the ore into coarse (-1000+106 μm) and fine (-106 μm) size fractions. A belt type dry high gradient magnetic separator (BHGMS) was used to beneficiate the coarse fraction. The concentrate of the BHGMS was ground to -106 μm, and combined with the fine fraction produced at screening stage, and subjected to high gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) at 1.2 T. A concentrate grading about 61.33% Fe with 60.3% recovery was obtained applying the separation process incorporating BHGMS and HGMS. A single stage separation circuit considering the use of HGMS after the grinding the ore below 106 μm was employed as the second concentration option. A concentrate having 63.80% Fe with 37.1% weight recovery was obtained in this test. As the highest Fe grade and the lowest S concentration was obtained by application of HGMS after the grinding the ore below 106 μm, and it was decided to conduct a pilot scale study using pulsating HGMS. A concentrate assaying 69.45% Fe with 60.1% weight recovery was produced by operating the pulsating HGMS at 0.6 T. The results showed that it was possible to obtain a micaceous iron oxide concentrate to be used in pigment production using magnetic separation method.