Generation of Value Added Product by Beneficiation of Barite Waste

One of the largest indigenous manufacturing plants of barium chemicals is located at Cuddapah in Andhra Pradesh. During production of Barium carbonate, two types of rejects (flue ash and sludge) have been generated and accumulated for the last few decades at Cuddapah plant. Earlier, briquetting of charge was suggested to restrict physical losses of material as flue ash. Afterwards, to generate product, having >90% barium sulphate which could be reused, studies have been carried out with currently produced rejects. Detail investigations suggested separate treatment of sludge because the flue ash sample was found to be suitable as feed to the reduction circuit. Both gravity and flotation processes were found to generate product meeting specifications. It was also found that more than 55% of the combined rejects currently generated at Cuddapah plant could be used again for the production of barium carbonate. In the process, recovery of barite value could be more than 65%.