Remove of Color Minerals from Malatya (Orduzu)-Turkey Feldspar Ores by Magnetic Separation

Abstract

This research aims to beneficiate feldspar ore, an important raw material used in ceramics and glass industries, by removing the contained impurities.For this purpose, chemical, mineralogical and magnetic separation studies were carried out on Malatya (Orduzu)-Turkey feldspar ore. The XRD analysis on the ore sample were identified the presence of albite, microcline, quartz, rutile, ilmenite, biotite and magnetite minerals. Liberation analysis conducted by optical microscope revealed that the feldspar minerals are liberated by 65%, %81 and %88 when crushed below 2 mm, 0,85 mm, 0,212 mm, respectively. For economic reasons it was decided to remove magnetic minerals (e.g., rutile, biotite, magnetite) by drum magnetic separations. Due to economical processing, the magnetic minerals (such as magnetite and rutile) were removed from the ore by drum wet and dry low field intensity magnetic separation in terms of %Fe2O3+%TiO2 and metal recovery. It was found that the concentration of coloring impurities Fe2O3+TiO2 could be reduced to 1,30% by feed of %1,56 when a low intensity drum type wet magnetic separator was utilized to metal removal efficiency of %27,74. It was deduced that the magnetic concentrate was not suitable to be used in glass industry. However, the method was suitable for pre-concentration of feldspar because of a little amount of magnetic minerals and high %Fe2O3+%TiO2 in waste.To produce feldspar concentrate for glass and porcelain industry, the magnetic separation could be used pre-concentration to increase the success of flotation.

Keywords: Feldspar, magnetic separation, glass industry, coloring minerals.