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Upgrading of a Nigerian Vermiculite-Phillipsite Rich Talc Ore by Flotation-Cum-Acid Leaching Routes for Industrial Applications

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Abstract

Talc remains an important mineral with a wide array of applications in paints, paper, polymers, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics industries when its associated impurities were accordingly processed due to its distinct surface properties. Thus, treatment of a Nigerian talc ore consisting of talc, vermiculite, and phillipsite was investigated using polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) as frother to separate the associated gangues for industrial value additions. At optimal conditions, the talc concentrate recovery was 70.2% with increasing SiO2 assayed from 44.50 to 46.70%; MgO from 18.57 to 23.59%; and a decreasing Fe2O3 from 8.52 to 2.22%. Further improvement on talc quality was investigated by leaching the concentrate with the hydrochloric acid solution. The dissolution mechanism is a diffusion-controlled reaction with the calculated activation energy of 26.18 kJ/mol. The residual product increased SiO2 to 49.33% and MgO to 23.76% as Fe2O3 decreased to 0.57% yielding 93.3% efficiency. The product as characterized could find applications in paints, paper, and cosmetics industries.

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Acknowledgments

One of the authors (J.P. Akinribido) is sincerely grateful to the University of Ilorin administration for providing scholarship awards at all levels of his university education, which helped him obtain a First Class Honors Degree and has been ranked the Best Student in the Chemical Science disciplines of the university during the 2018/2019 Convocation Ceremonies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Chemistry, University of Ilorin, P.M.B. 1515, Ilorin, 240003, Nigeria

    Alafara A. Baba, Julius P. Akinribido & Mustapha A. Raji

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  1. Alafara A. Baba
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  2. Julius P. Akinribido
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  3. Mustapha A. Raji
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Correspondence to Alafara A. Baba or Julius P. Akinribido.

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Baba, A.A., Akinribido, J.P. & Raji, M.A. Upgrading of a Nigerian Vermiculite-Phillipsite Rich Talc Ore by Flotation-Cum-Acid Leaching Routes for Industrial Applications. Mater Circ Econ 3, 5 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42824-021-00018-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42824-021-00018-2

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