Characterization and beneficiation potential for valuable heavy minerals from the Wadi Ibib stream sediments, southern coast of the Red Sea, Egypt

Economic heavy minerals (EHMs) in the Quaternary Stream Sediments of the Wadi Ibib were characterized mineralogically and chemically via optical microscopy, grain size distribution analysis, heavy liquid separation, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Information gathered from characterization studies confirmed that the heavy mineral content (specific gravity of more than ۲.۸۹) in the Ibib samples ranged between ۸.۱۸ and ۱۷.۵۲% by mass with an average of about ۱۲.۵۶% by mass. EDXRF data analyses also manifested that the content of ilmenite in the Ibib sample reached ۰.۲%, zircon ۰.۰۸%, rutile ۰.۰۷%, leucoxene ۰.۰۶%, almandine garnet ۰.۰۲۲%, cassiterite ۰.۰۰۷%, xenotime ۰.۰۰۶%, monazite ۰.۰۰۰۸%, and magnetite was about ۰.۲۹% with high proportion of heavy silicates. With regard to raising the grade of the EHMs, heavy mineral concentrate was obtained through a rougher step on Wilfley Shaking Table No. ۱۳, and then it was followed by two scavenging steps for the highest recovery obtained. The gravimetric concentration steps succeeded in raising the heavy mineral assay from ۱۲.۱۷% to ۵۳.۴۱% with a recovery of ۸۰.۴۲% in a yield of ۲۰.۳۸%. Finally, magnetic separation operations were conducted via low- and high-intensity magnetic separators at different intensities in an attempt to separate and obtain clean concentrates of EHMs that were ready for use in various modern technology industries.

کلیدواژه ها:

Economic Heavy Minerals ، Mineral Beneficiation ، Gravity concentration ، Magnetic separation ، Stream sediments ، Southern coast of the Red Sea