Improving characterization of low grade diasporic bauxite to be utilize in jajarm alumina plant

Abstract

To increase the proportion of lower grade bauxite in the utilized feed and also possibility of increasing A/S ratio in the plant feed (4.66), some investigations on improving A/S ratio of Elburz Bauxite, especially lower grade ones, by gravitational method and flotation has been carried out. To evaluate heavy media separation, using heavy liquids with different specific gravities between 2.8–3.4 (g/cm3) on various size fractions of this bauxite with initial A/S ratio between 1.3–8.5, resulted that a special specific gravity can produce the concentrates (in sunk fractions) with the A/S ratios and productivities which can economically be used as plant feed. Pilot plant tests also carried out on a 25t sample of Bauxite with a A/S ratio of 2.0 and concentrate A/S and recovery in DMS tests were 3.30 and >40%, respectively.