Beneficiation of low grade Manganese ore from Kuttinga, Koraput District, Orissa

A low grade manganese ore from Kuttinga in Koraput district, Orissa, received from M/s Jeypore mining Syndicate, assayed 38.9% Mn, 10.7% Fe, 7.8% SiO2, 4.9% Al2O3 and 0.35% phosphorous. Pyrolusite was the principal manganese minerals followed by psilomelane and braunite. The chief gangue mineral was goethite with small amounts of limonitic clay, quartz, feldspar, biotite, garnet, calcite etc. Straight magnetic separation of the ore at -10 mesh after desliming and heating at 400°C yielded a manganese concentrate assaying 47.6% Mn, 6.0% Fe, with a recovery of 74.8% Mn. Reduction roast followed by magnetic separation at -10 mesh yielded a manganese concentrate assaying 50.3% Fe with a recovery of 94.1% Mn. Flotation tests for the removal of phosphorous was not present in the sample as apatite.