Enrichment of Cobalt Values by Dry Magnetic Separation from Low-Grade Manganese Ores of Bonai-Keonjhar Belt, Orissa
- 1 Regional Research Laboratory, Bhubaneswar, India
- 2 Regional Research Laboratory, Bhubaneswar, India
- 3 Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, India
Abstract
Resource potential of cobalt in India is practically negligible. Cobalt in marine manganese nodule though known since long, its report from terrestrial manganese ore is least observed. This paper reports the occurrence of cobalt in low-grade manganese ores of Bonai-Keonjhar belt, Orissa, eastern India and describes methods for its possible enrichment. Cobalt is associated with manganese minerals like lithiophorite (~CoO: 1.2%) and cryptomelane (~CoO: 0.2%). A feed of low-grade siliceous manganese ore containing 26% Mn and 32% SiO 2 and 0.08% Co was subjected to physical beneficiation. By processing the low-grade siliceous ore on a dry belt magnetic separator, a product with 47% Mn at 60% recovery could be obtained. It was observed that along with manganese the cobalt value gets enriched (~Co: 0.38%) more than four times in comparison to the feed. Some other traces like Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Li etc. also get enriched in the magnetic product. Thus, through simple dry magnetic separation a low-valued material cannot only be converted to usable product but two valuable metals can also be recovered from it.
- Glasby, G. P., 1975, “Minor element enrichment in manganese nodules relative to sea-water and marine sediment.” Nature wissenschaften, Vol. 65, pp. 133-135.
- Glasby, G. P., Keays, R. R., and Rankin, P. C., 1978, “The distribution of rare earth, precious metal and other trace elements in recent and fossil deep sea manganese nodules.” Geochem. J., Vol. 12, pp. 229-248.
- Mohapatra, B. K. and Sahoo. R. K., 1999, “Characterisation of marine ferromanganese concretions.” Metals Materials and Processes, Vol. 11, pp. 101-116.
- Delian Fan, Hein James R., and Ye Jie, 1999, “Ordovician reef hosted Jiaodingshan Mn-Co deposit and Dawashan Mn deposit, Sichuan Province, China.” Ore Geology Review, Vol. 15, pp. 135-151.
- Tetsuo, Yamazaki, 1999, “Cobalt rich Mn deposit and techniques required for the development.” Kagaku Kogyo, Vol. 50, pp. 372-378.
- Roy, S., 1981, Manganese deposits, Academy Press, London, pp. 451.
- Mohapatra, B. K., Paul, A. K. and Sahoo, R. K., 1989, “Characterisation of manganese ores of a part of Western Koira valley, Keonjhar Dist., Orissa.” Journal of Geological Society of India, Vol. 34, pp. 632-646.
- Balaram, V., Manikyamba, C., Ramesh, S. L., and Saxena, V. C., 1989, “Determination of rare earth elements in Japanese rock standards by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry.” Atomic Spectroscopy, Vol. 2, pp. 19-23.
- Mohapatra, B. K; Rao, D. S. and Sahoo, R. K, 1995, “Characterisation and magnetic separation studies of Chikla manganese ores, Maharastra.” Ind. Min. Eng. J., July, pp. 37-41.
- Rao, G. V; Mohapatra, B. K and Tripathy, A. K., 1998, “Enrichment of the manganese content by wet high intensity magnetic separation from chikla manganese ore, India.” Magnetic and Electrical Separation, Vol. 9, pp. 69-82.
- Mohanty, P. S.; Ghosh, M. K.; Anand, S. and Das, R. P., 1994, “Leaching of manganese nodules in ammoniacal medium with elemental sulphur as reductant.” Trans. Instn. Min. Met., Sec. C, Vol. 143, pp. 151-155.
- Devi. N. B.; Nathsarma, K. C. and Chakraborty, V., 1998, “Separation of cobalt (II) and nickel (II) from sulphate solutions using sodium salts of D2EHPA, PC88A and Cyanex 272.” Hydrometallurgy, Vol. 49, pp. 47-61.
- Devi. N. B.; Nathsarma, K. C. and Chakraborty, V., 2000, “Separation of divalent manganese and cobalt ions from sulphate solutions using sodium salts of D2EHPA, PC88A and Cyanex 272.” Hydrometallurgy, Vol. 54, pp. 117-131.