Recovery of valuable heavy minerals via gravity and magnetic separation operations from Diit Quaternary stream sediments, southern coast of the Red Sea, Egypt

Abstract

This research aims to concentrate and recover valuable heavy minerals (VHMs) contained in Diit area, southern coast of the Red Sea, Egypt. In this study, three technological samples were collected representing Lens, Delta and Wadi Diit; mineralogical investigation followed by mineral processing was performed in order to recover VHM content. VHMs such as zircon, ilmenite, rutile, sphene, apatite, garnet, and magnetite have been recorded in associations with lesser amounts of uranothorite, monazite, xenotime, fergusonite, khatyrkite, and gold. Initially, two stage wet gravity concentration processes, rougher and scavenger, were carried out via a shaking table to produce a clean concentrate of VHMs, which was used as feed material for the magnetic separation process. Magnetic separation was performed in order to separate ferromagnetic minerals from paramagnetic minerals as well as diamagnetic minerals to obtain clean concentration of these fractions. Assay and Material balance of the concentration steps proved that the THM content of Diit lens increased to 89.70% with a recovery of 91.68% in a weight of 61.08% out of the original sample. While the percentage of THM content in Wadi and Delta Diit samples increased to 48.68 and 47.67% respectively, with recovery equivalent to 71.67 and 82.06% respectively in a weight of 16.51, 18.7% respectively out of the original sample. Finally, a process flowsheet was created according to the optimum conditions for concentration and separation processes.

Reapplication Potential of Historic Pb–Zn Slag with Regard to Zero Waste Principles

“…Prior to repurposing Pb-Zn slag in the construction sector, it is important to analyze its mineralogical composition for the extraction of critical metals with economic potential, such as Pb, Zn, and Ag. As a result, procedures, such as gravity concentration and separation techniques, are being used to convert metal concentrations into a collective concentrate from which the maximum amount of one or more elements can be extracted [15,16]. Once valuable metal elements are extracted from the slag, the residual raw material has to be reapplied in order to close the cradle-to-cradle circle and achieve the zero-waste goal.…”

Gravity Separation Tests of a Complex Rutile Ore

“…It was found that the recoveries of monazite were 94.8% and 76.6%, respectively, when magnetic separation and gravity separation were separately carried out. M M Fawzy et al [22] recovered valuable heavy minerals from the southern coast of the Red Sea by shaking table, followed by magnetic separation. The results presented that the recoveries of heavy minerals reached 91.68%, 71.67% and 82.06%, respectively from three different areas.…”

Reapplication Potential of Historic Pb-Zn Slag in Regard to Net Zero Principles

“…Namely, the extraction of valuable metals such as Pb, Zn, and Ag has economic potential. Therefore, methods such as gravity concentration and magnetic separation are employed to create metal concentrates into their collective concentrate, from which the maximum amount of one or several elements can be extracted [15,16]. Production of construction material could be a viable way to sustainably utilize Pb and Zn slags with a financial return, given their quantity and mineralogical composition, especially if the final products could be manufactured and sold locally [17].…”