"HYDROMETALLURGICAL UPGRADING OF (P2 o5) IN HIGH AND LOW GRADE PHOSPHATE ORES OF SIBAIYA AREA"

Abstract

Screen analysis is a successful technique for upgrading phosphate ores and improving the P20s content. Screen analyses of the samples show that as the particle size decreases, P205% increases. The screen and chemical analyses of high (sample No. 1) and low (sample No.2) grade phosphate ore samples either dry or wet give high P205 in the case of+ 0.180 rnrn particle size fraction. In the original high and low grade phosphate samples, PzOs equals 26.54 and 23.15%, respec­ tively. On screening and upgrading the ores using water as washing solvent, P205 rises into 34.5 and 32% P 205 in the case of high and low grade phosphate ore samples. On Beneficiation of phosphate ores using various collector doses, the optimum conditions are 1.75 kg of CHI3/ton ore, 1.50 kg of CHBr3/ton ore, 1.25 kg of CHC!3/ton ore and 3.5 kg of CH2l2/ton ore, 0.50 kg of sodium silicate/ton, ore, pH= 11 and 50 minutes conditioning time. Flotation of samples number I and 2 using iodoform as a flotation collector and reflotation of the frothes, the results of phosphate concentrates assay 45% and 40% Pz05 with PzOs recoveries equal 82.1% and 58.1% in the case of high and low grade phosphate ores, respectively. The total costs for producing one ton phosphate concentrate using iodoform as a flotation collector equal LE 137.7 which is the cheapest costs (more economic) on comparing the costs on using chloroform, bromoform and methylene iodide.