Beneficiation of low grade graphite ore from Multai area, Betul district, M.P.

Abstract

The low grade graphite ore sample from Multai area, Betul District, M.P analysed 10% graphite and wasfound to be crvptocrystalline in nature and intimately associated with silicate gangue. Conventional mechanical cell flotation trials were conducted and various process variables such as froth erlcollector/depressant concentrations, pH of the pulp etc., were optimised. The best grade concentrate containing 60.1% F.C. was obtained after cleaning the rougher concentrate twice, with a recovery of 72.12%. Further improvement in the grade was possible by only resorting to the bulk oil flotation of the finely ground sample (less than 37 microns). The best grade containing 72.5% F.C. was obtained by bulk oil flotation of the rougher concentrate containing 53.7% F.C., with an overall graphite recovery of 74.6%. The column flotation trials studying process variables such as pulp density,depressant concentration and airflow rates, yielded the best grade of column concentrate containing 64% F.C. with a recovery of90.88%. Afteranalysing the results obtained by various techniques critically, the bulk oil flotation of the rougher cell concentrate, was found to be the most suitable technique.