- Title
- An investigation on the parameters affecting smelting process of a Cassiterite bearing Niobium and Tantalum ore
- Creator
- Mutombo, David Ilunga
- Subject
- Smelting, Metallurgy, Niobium ores, Tantalum, Cassiterite
- Date
- 2018
- Type
- Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10210/295026
- Identifier
- uj:32112
- Description
- Abstract: This thesis details results obtained from the smelting process of Cassiterite ore bearing Nb/Ta minerals. The Cassiterite ore, sourced from the Kibara belt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was characterised using different analytical equipment such as XRF, XRD and SEM/EDS. It was then treated using a shaking table in order to concentrate it. The Cassiterite ore was then smelt in a tube furnace and the effect of basicity and smelting time was investigated. The chemical and mineralogical studies by XRF and XRD revealed that the Cassiterite ore sample contained Sn (76.01%), Nb2O5 (0.62%) and Ta2O5 (0.81%). It was mainly composed of Cassiterite (SnO2) as the major mineral phase with minor compounds of Sillimanite (Al2SiO5), Ferrotapiolite (Fe(Nb,Ta)2O6), Pyrochlore ((Na, Ca, U)2 (Nb,Ta)2 06) and Tapiolite minerals (FeTa2O6). These results were confirmed using SEM/EDX. It was further revealed that rich Nb and Ta minerals (Pyrochlore and/or Tapiolite and/or Ferrotapiolite) are trapped in sizes ranging from 1.98 to 3.43 μm in the Cassiterite mineral. The results from the gravity pre-concentration process using a shaking table revealed that the Sn grade improved from 76.01 up to 90.50%. However, the Sn recovery was 49.6%; 55.5%; 65.69% and 14.8% for sizes of x>212; 212
- Contributor
- Nheta, Wilie, Dr., Kalenga, Micel
- Language
- English
- Rights
- University of Johannesburg
- Full Text
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