Determination of Work Index for Iperindo Lode Gold Deposit at Ilesha Goldfield Osun State, Nigeria Using Modified Bond Index

Abstract

Iperindo lode gold is one of the few primary gold deposits known in Nigeria. The mineralized lodes generally comprise highly silicified fine-grained foliated biotite gneiss typically intruded by both discordant and concordant pegmatitic quartz-feldspar veins. The research investigates the work index of Iperindo lode deposit at Ilesha goldfield in Osun state, Nigeria. The sample of the gold ore was sourced from Iperindo at Ilesha Local Government Area of Osun state, Nigeria. The reference ores (quartz) sample was also sourced from that serves as overburden to the goldmine. The test ore and the reference ore were characterized using Energy Dispersed X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. 500 grams of gold ore and quartz were sampled and prepared by crushing and grinding to 100% passing 710µm sieve; 100 grams of prepared ores were charged into array of sieve arranged in √2 i.e from 500 µm to-45 µm. Set of sieves were mounted on automated sieve shaker and was operated for 20 minutes. The work index of reference ore was used to calculate the work index of the test ore using Gaudin Schuman expression to obtain a work index of 11.92kwh/ton for test ore. This work index value obtained for Iperindo gold ore (test ore) lies favorably within the work index of 8-16.5kwh/ton for gold ore sighted in the literature.