Batch as well as Pilot Plant Beneficiation Studies with low-grade fluorspar from Ambadongar, Dist. Baroda and detailed proposals for setting up of a 500 tonnes per day Beneficiation Plant for the Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Ltd.”

Abstract

The report presents the development of a flowsheet and the economic evaluation of the process for setting up of a beneficiation plant of 500 tonnes per day capacity for simultaneous production of acid and metallurgical grade concentrates from a low grade fluorspar deposit from Ambadongar ,Baroda Dt; Gujarat State. Results obtained by laboratory scale and pilot plant studies undertaken in National Metallurgical Laboratory are presented and discussed.The sample under investigation assayed 27.99%CaF2,2.1%CaCO3,49,12%SiO2,8.25% Al2O3,7.40%Fe203,0.16% S, 0.28% Ba traces of Pb and Cu. Quartz fluorite, feldspar, and calcite were the major Constituent minerals in the ore with a small amount of barite and sulphide minerals. The sample contained a considerable amount of clay which could be removed by scrubbing the ore. Laboratory scale studies indicated that simultaneous production of an acid grade concentrate assaying 98.2%CaF2 and metallurgical grade concentrate assaying 90.9%CaF2 with recoveries of 68.1%and 13.0% CaF2 respectively could be achieved by employing flotation. The process consisted broadly of two stages, the first for the production of a rougher fluorspar float and the second stage for cleaning of this rougher float after regrinding and hot conditioning. No difficulty is anticipated in actual plant practice for producing 100%of the concentrate in the form of either acid grade or metallurgical grade ,by employing the above method.