Characterization of rice hull ash and its performance in turbidity removal from water
- Authors: Adams, F. V. , Ikotun, B. D. , Patrick, D. O. , Mulaba-Bafubiandi, A. F.
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Rice hull ash , Turbidity removal
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:4790 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/12041
- Description: This study characterizes the locally obtained samples of rice hull ash and investigates its performance on turbidity removal from water. Four samples of this material were studied, namely, unwashed parboiled rice hull ash (UPRHA), washed parboiled rice hull ash (WPRHA), unwashed unparboiled rice hull ash (UUPRHA), and washed unparboiled rice hull ash (WUPRHA). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffractometer (XRD), and Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were carried out to characterize these samples. A filtration process was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of the rice hull ash medium in removing water turbidity. The XRD results showed the silica, which is present in the ashes, to be cristobalite, quartz, and tridymite. The silica contents of the UUPRHA and WUPRHA were observed to be 77.10% and 98.24%, respectively, while those of UPRHA and WPRHA were 79.07% and 94.97%, respectively. The SEM images showed agglomeration of ash particles after the ashes were washed. The washed RHA samples showed improved pH, a good percentage of turbidity removal (<5 NTU) from water sample. Washing RHA with distilled water increased the efficiency of RHA in turbidity removal from water and regulated water pH to an acceptable range.
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Alkaline leaching of nickel bearing ammonium jarosite precipitate using KOH, NaOH and NH4OH in the presence of EDTA and Na2S
- Authors: Ntumba Malenga, E. , Mulaba-Bafubiandi, A. F. , Nheta, W.
- Date: 2015-04-11
- Subjects: Alkaline leaching , Reducing agents , Complexing agents
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5128 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/14091
- Description: Please refer to full text to view abstract
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Technological feasibility and cultural acceptability study of solar power systems for microwave assisted sandstone artisanal mining
- Authors: Agwa-Ejon, J. F. , Mulaba-Bafubiandi, A. F. , Pretorius, J. H.
- Date: 2015-08-06
- Subjects: Artisinal mining - South Africa - QwaQwa , Sandstone - South Africa - QwaQwa , Microwave energy , Solar energy
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5218 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/14504
- Description: This paper investigates the technical feasibility of microwave assisted artisanal mining in the production of Sandstone from QwaQwa in South Africa. It further discusses the cultural acceptability by the rural community of the synergetic application of the emerging technology (microwave energy) and the renewable resource (solar). Sandstone in QwaQwa, Free State is artisanally mined using chisels and hammers. This form of mining is extensively laborious and is normally accompanied by numerous casualties. The paper demonstrates the existence and the possible utilization of alternative methods including emerging technologies which are more productive, efficient, effective and sustainable. The solar energy systems are used to trigger the microwave magnetron which results into high energy microwave dosage. The dosage causes differential or selective heating on the rocks which culminate into rock breaking along the interfacial grain boundaries between the different constituting minerals. The data used in the analysis was collected by administering questionnaires to the artisanal mining community in QwaQwa and from observations made on site as well as desk top information obtained from secondary sources. The paper contributes to knowledge by drawing on the solar energy systems to generate the dosage required to trigger the microwave magnetron used to facilitate a more efficient and economical artisanal mining of sandstones. In conclusion the paper recommends to policy makers the application of microwave energy in mineral artisanal mining and processing instead of the manual chisel and hammer currently being utilized country wide. It then gives a detail analysis of the technical, scheduling and economic analysis of the sandstone artisanal mining in QwaQwa.
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Foundry localisation strategy implementation as a vehicle to South African industrialisation : MCTS contribution
- Authors: Mulaba-Bafubiandi, A. F. , Mageza, K. , Varachia, M. F.
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Localisation strategy , Foundries , State Owned Enterprises
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/259236 , uj:27271 , Citation: Mulaba-Bafubiandi, A.F., Mageza, K. & Varachia, M.F. 2017. Foundry localisation strategy implementation as a vehicle to South African industrialisation : MCTS contribution.
- Description: Abstract: Localisation strategy is one of the South Africa government strategies aimed at promoting economic growth and re-industrialization of the country through local content programme. The foundry sector is one of the foundation stones for metal related manufacturing and fortunately has been selected as one of the focus industries for localisation programme. However the economic sustainability of South Africa foundries have been in dramatic decline, South Africa had about 450 foundries in the 1980s, just over 200 were found in 2003 and about 170 were left in 2014. This dismal decline in foundries is due to years of underinvestment, a widening skills gap and import leakage. The South African government through its state departments had introduced localisation strategy initiative to promote procurement of local content produced locally for use in government initiated projects such as State Owned Enterprises (SOE) Infrastructure programme as a means of supporting local foundries’ competitiveness. This paper highlighted the role of the MCTS in the broader South Africa Industrialisation strategy such as; human capital development, technology transfer, product and process improvement.
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Innovation and modernization to prolong the South African mining beyond 2040
- Authors: Rupprecht, S. M. , Mulaba-Bafubiandi, A. F.
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/259241 , uj:27272 , Citation: Rupprecht, S.M. & Mulaba-Bafubiandi, A.F. 2017. Innovation and modernization to prolong the South African mining beyond 2040.
- Description: In June 2016, the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) held a colloquium in Johannesburg South Africa the purpose of which was to create a dialogue between industry, government, research institutes and academia in the area of new technology and innovation. One of the key findings presented at the colloquium was the Chamber of Mines (COM) study indicating that the South African gold reserves dependent upon conventional mining methods will be depleted by 2031 with Platinum Group Metals (PGM) reserves signaling a similar fate...
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Mathematical modeling of thin layer drying characteristics of onion (Allium cepa) varieties and rehydration capacity
- Authors: Sobowale, S. S. , Olatidoye, O. P. , Mulaba-Bafubiandi, A. F. , Adebo, O. A.
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Onions , Drying , Thickness
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/395358 , uj:32778 , Citation: Sobowale, S. S. et al. 2019. Mathematical modeling of thin layer drying characteristics of onion (Allium cepa) varieties and rehydration capacity.
- Description: Abstract: varieties (white and red) and some quality characteristics were also examined. The experimental data obtained at drying temperatures of 40, 50 and 60 oC, and thicknesses of 2, 4 and 6 mm, were subsequently fitted into four commonly used models (Henderson and Pabis, Lewis, Page and Logarithmic). The moisture diffusivity and activation energy ranged from 8.91 × 10-10 - 8.39 × 10-9 m2/s and 55.98 - 65.68 KJ/mol, respectively. Significant differences (p <0.05) were observed in the color profile and rehydration ratio. The optimum desirable color was obtained at 50 oC with 2 mm thickness onion slices and the observed higher rehydration ratio indicates good quality of dried onions. Among the four selected drying models, Page model predicted optimally (R2 > 0.9) and was found to better in describing dried onion varieties, while Lewis model gave the least fit.
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