Using Process Mineralogy as a Tool to Investigate Blending Potential of the Pentlandite-Bearing Ores at the Nkomati Ni Mine in South Africa
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| Language: | English |
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2023
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| Online Access: | https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5495 https://doi.org/10.3390/min12050649 |
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| author | Thomas Dzvinamurungu Derek Hugh Rose Ngonidzashe Chimwani Fanus Viljoen |
| author2 | Midlands State University, Private Bag 9055, Senga Road, Gweru, Zimbabwe |
| author_facet | Midlands State University, Private Bag 9055, Senga Road, Gweru, Zimbabwe Thomas Dzvinamurungu Derek Hugh Rose Ngonidzashe Chimwani Fanus Viljoen |
| author_sort | Thomas Dzvinamurungu |
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| id | ir-11408-5495 |
| institution | My University |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | MDPI |
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| spelling | ir-11408-54952023-03-29T06:54:32Z Using Process Mineralogy as a Tool to Investigate Blending Potential of the Pentlandite-Bearing Ores at the Nkomati Ni Mine in South Africa Thomas Dzvinamurungu Derek Hugh Rose Ngonidzashe Chimwani Fanus Viljoen Midlands State University, Private Bag 9055, Senga Road, Gweru, Zimbabwe Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Kingsway Campus, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa Department of Mining, University of South Africa (UNISA), Florida Campus, Private Bag X6, Johannesburg 1710, South Africa * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Kingsway Campus, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa ore texture grind sizes milling liberation analysis pentlandite flotation flotation kinetics recovery Abstract The mineralogy and texture of Ni-sulfide ores at the Nkomati nickel mine are highly variable, and this results in often erratic nickel recovery at the mine. The variability of the ore presents an opportunity to study the influence of grind size on the flotation-based recovery of Ni in highly heterogeneous sulfide ores, which would be applicable to this ore type at many other mines worldwide. In view of this, a process mineralogy investigation was conducted on thirteen mineralogically and texturally different nickel-sulfide ores from the Nkomati Nickel Mine, with a view on the influence of grind size on the flotation performance of pentlandite. Ore types presented include medium- and high-grade variants of the bleb, disseminated, massive, semi-massive, and net-textured sulfide ores of the Main Mineralized Zone (MMZ), as well as disseminated chromite-rich nickel sulfide ore and massive chromitite ore of the Peridotitic Chromitite Mineralized Zone (PCMZ). Laboratory scale metallurgical test work, comprising of sequential grinding and bench-top flotation testing of the ores, was conducted in combination with quantitative mineralogical investigation of the flotation feed and associated flotation products, using a FEI 600F Mineral Liberation Analyzer. The ore types under consideration require a variety of grind sizes (i.e., milling times) in order to attain optimal recovery of nickel through flotation. This is predominantly controlled by ore texture, and also partly by the abundance of the major constituent minerals in the ore, being pyroxenes, base metal sulfides, and chromite. Liberation of pentlandite is directly correlated with grind size (milling time), which is also positively correlated with the level of nickel recovery through flotation. A grind size of P80 at 75 µm results in the highest concentrate nickel grades of 7.5–8.1% in the PCMZ ores’ types which is the current grind for the PCMZ ores at Nkomati. A grind size of P77 at 75 µm yields the best overall pentlandite liberation, Ni recoveries of 84–88% and grades of 5.3–5.6% in the MMZ ores. This holds the potential to produce the best overall pentlandite liberation, nickel grades, recoveries from blending the MMZ and PCMZ ore types, and milling the composite ore at a target grind of P80 at 75 µm. 12 5 649 2023-03-29T06:54:31Z 2023-03-29T06:54:31Z 2022-05-20 research article https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5495 https://doi.org/10.3390/min12050649 en Minerals 2075-163 open MDPI |
| spellingShingle | ore texture grind sizes milling liberation analysis pentlandite flotation flotation kinetics recovery Thomas Dzvinamurungu Derek Hugh Rose Ngonidzashe Chimwani Fanus Viljoen Using Process Mineralogy as a Tool to Investigate Blending Potential of the Pentlandite-Bearing Ores at the Nkomati Ni Mine in South Africa |
| title | Using Process Mineralogy as a Tool to Investigate Blending Potential of the Pentlandite-Bearing Ores at the Nkomati Ni Mine in South Africa |
| title_full | Using Process Mineralogy as a Tool to Investigate Blending Potential of the Pentlandite-Bearing Ores at the Nkomati Ni Mine in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Using Process Mineralogy as a Tool to Investigate Blending Potential of the Pentlandite-Bearing Ores at the Nkomati Ni Mine in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using Process Mineralogy as a Tool to Investigate Blending Potential of the Pentlandite-Bearing Ores at the Nkomati Ni Mine in South Africa |
| title_short | Using Process Mineralogy as a Tool to Investigate Blending Potential of the Pentlandite-Bearing Ores at the Nkomati Ni Mine in South Africa |
| title_sort | using process mineralogy as a tool to investigate blending potential of the pentlandite-bearing ores at the nkomati ni mine in south africa |
| topic | ore texture grind sizes milling liberation analysis pentlandite flotation flotation kinetics recovery |
| url | https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5495 https://doi.org/10.3390/min12050649 |
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