Texture and Mineral Composition of Magmatic Apatite-Nepheline Ores: Technological Consequences (Exemplified by Khibiny)

Abstract

The paper considers the relationship between textural and structural features and gross mineral and chemical composition of minerals and the physical properties of apatite-nepheline ores and their processing. It is noted that the change in the physical properties of ores involves primarily the change in their mineral composition due to apatite depletion. An increase in the content of nepheline and pyroxene to 35-55 % sharply increases the ore strength up to 47-104 MPa, which entails the growth of energy consumption for grinding. An important factor is that the ore contains high-strength poikilitic intergrowths of apatite with nepheline, pyroxene, and titanite, in which about 20 % of fine-grained apatite is concentrated, and the extraction of which is a complex technological problem. The authors attribute a change in the chemical composition of apatite to the main factors deteriorating the product quality. According to the studies, the chemical composition of apatite is unstable and varies in the content of P2O5 (37.20-42.6 %), SrO (2.29-5.36 %), and Tr2O3 (0.51-1.05 %). It is noted that a change in the composition may affect the flotation properties and quality of the concentrate.

Hardware and Software Solutions for the Generation of a Database of HSV-Color Characteristics for the Main Ores and Rocks of the Khibiny Massif

“…There is one more parameter for the description of ores and rocks, which concerns the type of the contained apatite: free, composing the ore matrix, and poikilitic, occurring in the form of inclusions in other minerals. This parameter may be important for the solution under development (varying/absent luminescence of the poikilitic apatite and related error) and for further processes of "deep" ore concentration (poikilitic apatite is harder to disintegrate; it comes to the apatite concentrate as intergrowths and degrades its quality [9]).…”

“…In the case where the transmission coefficient of colored optical glass is 40%, a spectral area in the range of 300 to 375 nm is detected; when the transmission coefficient reaches 80%, the spectral area is 325-375 nm. parameter may be important for the solution under development (varying/absent luminescence of the poikilitic apatite and related error) and for further processes of "deep" ore concentration (poikilitic apatite is harder to disintegrate; it comes to the apatite concentrate as intergrowths and degrades its quality [9]).…”