Alternative beneficiation of tantalite and removal of radioactive oxides from Ethiopian Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene ores

Berhe Goitom Gebreyohannes; Vel&#225;zquez del Rosario Alberto; Abubeker Yimam; Girma Woldetinsae; Bogale Tadesse

doi:10.1007/s12613-017-1456-8

Volume 24 Issue 7

Jul. 2017

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文章导航 > 矿物冶金与材料学报（英文） > 2017 > 24(7): 727-735

Berhe Goitom Gebreyohannes, Velázquez del Rosario Alberto, Abubeker Yimam, Girma Woldetinsae, and Bogale Tadesse, Alternative beneficiation of tantalite and removal of radioactive oxides from Ethiopian Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene ores, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 24(2017), No. 7, pp. 727-735. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-017-1456-8

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Berhe Goitom Gebreyohannes, Velázquez del Rosario Alberto, Abubeker Yimam, Girma Woldetinsae, and Bogale Tadesse, Alternative beneficiation of tantalite and removal of radioactive oxides from Ethiopian Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene ores, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 24(2017), No. 7, pp. 727-735. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-017-1456-8

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研究论文

Alternative beneficiation of tantalite and removal of radioactive oxides from Ethiopian Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene ores

School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jimma Institute of Technology, Jimma University, P.O. Box 378, Jimma, Ethiopia
Chemistry Department, College of Natural and Computational Science, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 823, Mekelle, Ethiopia
School of Chemical and Bio Engineering, AAiT, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Research and Development Directorate, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Natural Gas, P.O. Box 486, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Department of Mining Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering, Western Australian School of Mines, Curtin University, Egan St, Kalgoorlie, WA 6430, Australia

通讯作者:
Berhe Goitom Gebreyohannes E-mail: goitish2500@gmail.com

中文摘要

The beneficiation methods for Ethiopian Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene ores were assessed through mineralogical and quantitative analyses with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). The tantalite in the upper zone of the Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene deposit is 58.7wt% higher than that in the inner zone. XRD analysis revealed that the upper zone is dominated by manganocolumbite, whereas the inner zone is predominantly tantalite-Mn. Repeated cleaning and beneficiation of the upper-zone ore resulted in concentrate compositions of 57.34wt% of Ta₂O₅ and 5.41wt% of Nb₂O₅. Washing the tantalite concentrates using 1vol% KOH and 1 M H₂SO₄ led to the removal of thorium and uranium radioactive oxides from the concentrate. The findings of this study suggest that the beneficiation and alkaline washing of Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene ores produce a high-grade export-quality tantalite concentrate with negligible radioactive oxides.

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Research Article

Alternative beneficiation of tantalite and removal of radioactive oxides from Ethiopian Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene ores

+ Author Affiliations

School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jimma Institute of Technology, Jimma University, P.O. Box 378, Jimma, Ethiopia
Chemistry Department, College of Natural and Computational Science, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 823, Mekelle, Ethiopia
School of Chemical and Bio Engineering, AAiT, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Research and Development Directorate, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Natural Gas, P.O. Box 486, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Department of Mining Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering, Western Australian School of Mines, Curtin University, Egan St, Kalgoorlie, WA 6430, Australia

Corresponding author:
Berhe Goitom Gebreyohannes E-mail: goitish2500@gmail.com
Received: 26 October 2016; Revised: 10 December 2016; Accepted: 13 December 2016

Abstract

Abstract

The beneficiation methods for Ethiopian Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene ores were assessed through mineralogical and quantitative analyses with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). The tantalite in the upper zone of the Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene deposit is 58.7wt% higher than that in the inner zone. XRD analysis revealed that the upper zone is dominated by manganocolumbite, whereas the inner zone is predominantly tantalite-Mn. Repeated cleaning and beneficiation of the upper-zone ore resulted in concentrate compositions of 57.34wt% of Ta₂O₅ and 5.41wt% of Nb₂O₅. Washing the tantalite concentrates using 1vol% KOH and 1 M H₂SO₄ led to the removal of thorium and uranium radioactive oxides from the concentrate. The findings of this study suggest that the beneficiation and alkaline washing of Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene ores produce a high-grade export-quality tantalite concentrate with negligible radioactive oxides.
- beneficiation;
- manganocolumbite;
- pegmatite-spodumene;
- radioactive oxides;
- tantalite

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Alternative beneficiation of tantalite and removal of radioactive oxides from Ethiopian Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene ores

中文摘要

Alternative beneficiation of tantalite and removal of radioactive oxides from Ethiopian Kenticha pegmatite-spodumene ores

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