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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Article Navigation > International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials > 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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Research Article

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

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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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