摘要:
Primary beneficiation was successfully performed prior to dissolution of manganotantalite (sample A) and ferrotantalite (sample C) samples obtained from two different mines in the Naquissupa area, Mozambique. Magnetic separation removed the majority of iron and titanium, whereas H
2SO
4 leaching removed a large portion of thorium and uranium in these samples. Analytical results indicated that 64.14wt% and 72.04wt% of the total Fe and Ti, respectively, and ~2wt% each of Nb
2O
5 and Ta
2O
5 were removed from sample C (ferrotantalite) using the magnetic separation method, whereas only 9.64wt% and 8.66wt% of total Fe
2O
3 and TiO
2, respectively, and ~2wt% each of Nb
2O
5 and Ta
2O
5 were removed from sample A (manganotantalite). A temperature of 50°C and a leaching time of 3 h in the presence of concentrated H
2SO
4 were observed to be the most appropriate leaching conditions for removal of radioactive elements from the tantalite ores. The results obtained for sample A under these conditions indicated that 64.14wt% U
3O
8 and 60.77wt% ThO
2 were leached into the acidic solution, along with 4.45wt% and 0.99wt% of Nb
2O
5 and Ta
2O
5, respectively.