Reduction of Iron oxide content in a Bauxite sample from roadside Mine, Jabalpur District, Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

A bauxite sample from Roadside mine, Jabalpur Dist., M.P. assaying 53.3% Al2O3, 5.2% Fe2O3 and 8.0% TiO2 was received from the Associated Cement Companies Ltd., for the reduction of Fe2O3 content to preferably less than 2.0% in the raw ore equivalent to 2.8% in the calcined ore. The principal gangue minerals in the sample were anatase, goethite and ilmenite with minor amounts of quartz and tourmaline. Magnetic separation of the sample at -10 mesh after desliming yielded a non-magnetic product assaying 3.0% Fe2O3, 7.1% TiO2 and 56.76 % Al2O3 with an alumina recovery of 76.5%. Rejection of iron oxide (Fe2O3) was 28.7% and 26.0% in the magnetic fraction and slime respectively. Reduction roast followed by magnetic separation of the sample at -3 mesh produced a non-magnetic product assaying 3.47% Fe2O3, 10.5% TiO2 and 72.5% Al2O3 with a recovery of 79.2% Al2O3 with a total rejection of 57.6% Fe2O3 in the magnetic fraction. Reduction roast followed by magnetic separation of a calcined sample assaying 75.6% Al2O3, 6.0% Fe2O3, 10.6% TiO2 and 77.6% Al2O3 with a recovery of 84.1% Al2O3.