TITLE:
Effectiveness Of Gravity Concentration For The Beneficiation Of Itakpe (Nigeria) Iron Ore Achieved Through Jigging Operation.
AUTHORS:
P. A. OLUBAMBI, J. H. POTGIETER
KEYWORDS:
Iron ore; Jigging; Particle size; Dilution ratio; Bedding thickness
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering,
Vol.4 No.1,
June
12,
2005
ABSTRACT: This study investigates the1 effectiveness of gravity concentration for the
beneficiation of Itakpe (Nigeria) iron ore achieved through jigging operations. Iron ore
obtained from Itapke Iron Ore Mining Project, Kogi State, Nigeria which contains a very
high amount of quartz as revealed by x-ray diffraction was crushed using the laboratory
dodge crusher and ground in a laboratory ball mill. Particle size analysis was carried out over the range of +4750μm and -75μm in 12 different mesh sizes, and the ore was jigged in a Laboratory Denver Mineral Jig. The operating variables used to determine the recovery effectiveness of jigging include; particle size, dilution ratio and bedding thickness. Recovery of iron ore was assessed by determining the percentages of Fe in the underflow and overflow using the Atomic Absorption spectrometry (AAS) method. Optimum iron ore recovery of 71% was achieved when the jig was operated at medium stroke and speed, with a feed slurry of average dilution and at a particle size of 600μm.