An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals

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dc.contributor.advisorCorin, Kirstenen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorWiese, Jennyen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorTadie, Margrethen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-12-09T14:48:19Z
dc.date.available2015-12-09T14:48:19Z
dc.date.issued2015en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe Bushveld complex is the largest ore body in the world hosting platinum group elements (PGEs). It is a stratified orebody with three major reefs namely, the Merensky reef, UG2 reef and the Platreef. Platinum and palladium are the most abundant PGEs found in the Bushveld complex. They occur in the form of minerals/mineral phases with elements such as sulphur, tellurium, arsenic and iron. These minerals/mineral phases are associated with base metal sulphides occuring along grain boundaries. Unlike the Merensky and UG2 reef, the Platreef is almost barren of PGE sulphides and the distribution of base metals sulphides and their association with PGMs is erratic. Froth flotation targeted at the recovery of base metal sulphides is implemented in PGM concentrators to concentrate PGMs. Flotation of sulphide minerals is achieved with the use of thiol collectors to create hydrophobicity, and copper sulphate is often used to improve hydrophobicity and therefore recovery. Sodium ethyl xanthate (SEX) and sodium diethyl dithiophosphate (DTP) are commonly used as collectors on PGM concentrators. The erratic mineral variations in the Platreef ore, however, raise the question of the effectiveness of the application of sulphide mineral flotation techniques on this ore. Previous work by Shackleton, (2007) investigated the flotation of PGE tellurides, sulphides and arsenides. The study highlighted that the mechanisms with which these minerals interact with collectors and with copper sulphate was poorly understood. It is as a result of the findings of Shackleton's work that this study aims to elucidate the fundamental interactions of telluride and sulphide PGMs with thiol collectors and with copper sulphate. Subsequently this work also aims to compare the behaviour of these reagents on sulphide PGMs and telluride PGMs.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationTadie, M. (2015). <i>An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Centre for Minerals Research. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15748en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationTadie, Margreth. <i>"An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Centre for Minerals Research, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15748en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationTadie, M. 2015. An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Tadie, Margreth AB - The Bushveld complex is the largest ore body in the world hosting platinum group elements (PGEs). It is a stratified orebody with three major reefs namely, the Merensky reef, UG2 reef and the Platreef. Platinum and palladium are the most abundant PGEs found in the Bushveld complex. They occur in the form of minerals/mineral phases with elements such as sulphur, tellurium, arsenic and iron. These minerals/mineral phases are associated with base metal sulphides occuring along grain boundaries. Unlike the Merensky and UG2 reef, the Platreef is almost barren of PGE sulphides and the distribution of base metals sulphides and their association with PGMs is erratic. Froth flotation targeted at the recovery of base metal sulphides is implemented in PGM concentrators to concentrate PGMs. Flotation of sulphide minerals is achieved with the use of thiol collectors to create hydrophobicity, and copper sulphate is often used to improve hydrophobicity and therefore recovery. Sodium ethyl xanthate (SEX) and sodium diethyl dithiophosphate (DTP) are commonly used as collectors on PGM concentrators. The erratic mineral variations in the Platreef ore, however, raise the question of the effectiveness of the application of sulphide mineral flotation techniques on this ore. Previous work by Shackleton, (2007) investigated the flotation of PGE tellurides, sulphides and arsenides. The study highlighted that the mechanisms with which these minerals interact with collectors and with copper sulphate was poorly understood. It is as a result of the findings of Shackleton's work that this study aims to elucidate the fundamental interactions of telluride and sulphide PGMs with thiol collectors and with copper sulphate. Subsequently this work also aims to compare the behaviour of these reagents on sulphide PGMs and telluride PGMs. DA - 2015 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2015 T1 - An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals TI - An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15748 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/15748
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationTadie M. An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Centre for Minerals Research, 2015 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15748en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentCentre for Minerals Researchen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherMinerals Researchen_ZA
dc.titleAn electrochemical investigation of platinum group mineralsen_ZA
dc.typeDoctoral Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoral
dc.type.qualificationnamePhDen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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