13 Recent Developments in Industrial Minerals Research: Issues and Processes (Posters)

EVALUATION OF THE BAKERSVILLE ECLOGITE, MITCHELL COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA FOR ITS SUITABILITY AS AN ABRASIVE-GRADE GARNET

Program: THEME SESSIONS
Time: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Authors

Abstract

The bench scale laboratory process consisted of crushing, grinding, and gravity separation to separate the heavy minerals from the light minerals.  The sample was ground to pass US 30-mesh and the minus 30-mesh fraction was subjected to sink float separation using a heavy liquid with density of 2.96 g/cc.   The sink fraction (heavy mineral concentrate) composed mainly of garnet was subjected to mineralogical evaluation to determine garnet grade. The results of the heavy liquid separation process indicated that about 85% by weight of the original material reported as heavy mineral concentrate.

The garnets are red, subhedral, and average 2 mm in diameter. Microprobe compositions are Py32Alm47Grs22Sps<1 [rims] and Py27Alm49Grs24Sps<1 [cores] (Willard and Adams, 1994).

DRY PARTICLE SIZE ANALYSIS OF GARNET - (+ 200 MESH SINKS)

       Particle Size

 

  Weight

 

  Weight

 

Cum. %

 

Cum. %

 

US, mesh

   microns

 

g

 

%

 

Retained

 

Passing

 

16

1180

 

0.10

 

0.1

 

0.1

 

99.9

 

30

595

 

7.40

 

8.3

 

8.4

 

91.6

 

40

420

 

20.50

 

23.1

 

31.5

 

68.5

 

50

300

 

18.80

 

21.2

 

52.7

 

47.3

 

60

250

 

7.90

 

8.9

 

61.6

 

38.4

 

100

150

 

17.30

 

19.5

 

81.1

 

18.9

 

Pan

-150

 

16.80

 

18.9

 

100.0

 

 

 

Total

 

 

88.80

 

100.0

 

 

 

 

 

Reference - Willard, R.A., and Adams, M.G., 1994, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v.123, pp. 61-70.