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Acidic medium flotation separation of chromite from olivine and serpentine

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Abstract

The physico-chemical interactions among minerals such as olivine, chromite and serpentine; the most commonly present ions in solution such as Ca and Mg; and flotation reagents such as EDTA and oleic acid were investigated. The study was conducted via release tests, electro-phoretic measurements and microflotation of selected minerals coming from the Kukes deposit in Albania. The results were confirmed in beneficiation tests on two ores, one from the Kukes (Kalimash) deposit and the other from the Rizo deposit in Greece. It was demonstrated that, when Na-oleate is used as collector, chromite, olivine and serpentine can be separated at pH 2.5 and/or pH 5.5 when employing ethylene-diamine tetraacetate (EDTA) on previously deslimed material. This approach ensures flotation concentrates with a Cr2O3 content better than 50% with a recovery of more than 75%.

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Nonmeeting paper 96-642.

Discussion of this peer-reviewed and approved paper is invited and must be submitted to SME prior to Feb. 28, 1998.

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Alesse, V., Belardi, G., Freund, J. et al. Acidic medium flotation separation of chromite from olivine and serpentine. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 14, 26–35 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03402775

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03402775

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