An investigation into chemical factors that affect the behaviour of Gangue minerals in the flotation of PGM ores

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorBradshaw, Deeen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorHarris, Peteren_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMailula, Tshepo Desmonden_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-07-31T11:07:32Z
dc.date.available2014-07-31T11:07:32Z
dc.date.issued2004en_ZA
dc.descriptionWord processed copy.
dc.descriptionBibliography: leaves 80-85.
dc.description.abstractFlotation is one of the key steps in the beneficiation of Platinum Group Elements (PGE) from the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. This process aims to optimise the recovery of valuable PGE and sulphide minerals and the rejection of unwanted gangue minerals. The major reefs are exploited in South Africa i.e. Merensky reef and UG-2 reef. Gangue minerals, pyroxene and feldspar constitute more than 80% of the Merensky reef and chrornite up to 60% of the UG-2 reef. Although these minerals are considered to be hydrophilic and thus not floatable, these gangue minerals are known to report to the concentrate in large quantities during froth flotation. This results in lower grades and increased difficulties in downstream processing. Some Platinum Group Mineral (PGM) concentrators report that 2/3 of the gangue collected on the concentrate is by true flotation and only 1/3 by entrainment [Malysiak et ai, 2001]. This also suggests that mechanisms other than entrainment are responsible for this phenomenon. The behaviour of these minerals is selected for investigation in this thesis. During flotation of PGM ores, reagents such as copper sulphate and sodium isobutyl xanthate (SIBX) are added to enhance the recovery of valuable minerals. Copper sulphate, although added as an activator for valuable minerals, as the conditions used has been shown to also activate gangue minerals, thus its activation is non-selective [Shackleton, 2003 and Wesseldijk et ai, 1999]. Wesseldijk et ai, (1999), showed that copper sulphate could activate chromite and the subsequent addition of collector resulted in high recoveries of chromite in contrast to the low recoveries obtained in the absence of copper sulphate.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationMailula, T. D. (2004). <i>An investigation into chemical factors that affect the behaviour of Gangue minerals in the flotation of PGM ores</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Chemical Engineering. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5293en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationMailula, Tshepo Desmond. <i>"An investigation into chemical factors that affect the behaviour of Gangue minerals in the flotation of PGM ores."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Chemical Engineering, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5293en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMailula, T. 2004. An investigation into chemical factors that affect the behaviour of Gangue minerals in the flotation of PGM ores. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Mailula, Tshepo Desmond AB - Flotation is one of the key steps in the beneficiation of Platinum Group Elements (PGE) from the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. This process aims to optimise the recovery of valuable PGE and sulphide minerals and the rejection of unwanted gangue minerals. The major reefs are exploited in South Africa i.e. Merensky reef and UG-2 reef. Gangue minerals, pyroxene and feldspar constitute more than 80% of the Merensky reef and chrornite up to 60% of the UG-2 reef. Although these minerals are considered to be hydrophilic and thus not floatable, these gangue minerals are known to report to the concentrate in large quantities during froth flotation. This results in lower grades and increased difficulties in downstream processing. Some Platinum Group Mineral (PGM) concentrators report that 2/3 of the gangue collected on the concentrate is by true flotation and only 1/3 by entrainment [Malysiak et ai, 2001]. This also suggests that mechanisms other than entrainment are responsible for this phenomenon. The behaviour of these minerals is selected for investigation in this thesis. During flotation of PGM ores, reagents such as copper sulphate and sodium isobutyl xanthate (SIBX) are added to enhance the recovery of valuable minerals. Copper sulphate, although added as an activator for valuable minerals, as the conditions used has been shown to also activate gangue minerals, thus its activation is non-selective [Shackleton, 2003 and Wesseldijk et ai, 1999]. Wesseldijk et ai, (1999), showed that copper sulphate could activate chromite and the subsequent addition of collector resulted in high recoveries of chromite in contrast to the low recoveries obtained in the absence of copper sulphate. DA - 2004 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2004 T1 - An investigation into chemical factors that affect the behaviour of Gangue minerals in the flotation of PGM ores TI - An investigation into chemical factors that affect the behaviour of Gangue minerals in the flotation of PGM ores UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5293 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/5293
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationMailula TD. An investigation into chemical factors that affect the behaviour of Gangue minerals in the flotation of PGM ores. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Chemical Engineering, 2004 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5293en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Chemical Engineeringen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherChemical Engineeringen_ZA
dc.titleAn investigation into chemical factors that affect the behaviour of Gangue minerals in the flotation of PGM oresen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
thesis_ebe_2004_mailula_td.pdf
Size:
4.98 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
Masters