The processing and validation of zircon sand concentrate process into zircon opacifier

Abstract

The processing and validation of the zircon sand concentrate process into the zircon opacifier have been carried out. The purpose of this research was to determine the optimal processing conditions and the process validation parameters, namely the production repeatability, and product consistency. The optimum conditions were zircon sand concentrate 100 g was roasted with 15% NaOH at 400 °C for 3 hours, zircon opacifier leaching with 0.1 N HCl for 2 hours, drying at 105 °C, and milling until particle size escapes 200 mesh. The dominant mineral in the zircon opacifier by the XRD method was zirconium silicate (ZrSi04). The processing zircon sand concentrate with seven replications, an average weight of zircon opacifier was obtained: (92.754 ± 1.707)%, and the production repeatability was 98.293%. So, the production repeatability was quite satisfying. The zircon opacifier composition from the seven replication processing, was obtained 10 oxides, including Zr02: (85.220 ± 0.124)%, Si02: (8.760 ± 0.206)%, Hf02: (2.475 ± 0.013)%, A1203: (1.183 ± 0.024)%, Ti02: (0.364 ± 0.018)%, Fe203: (0.131 ± 0.003)%, etc, the standard deviation of composition test results was 0.146% - 4.839% (lower than 5%), meaning that the consistency of the product was satisfactory.