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Pergamon © 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd
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TECHNICAL NOTE
NEW ASPECT OF CHROMITE GRAVITY TAILINGS RE-PROCESSING*

A. GUNEY ~, G. ONAL ~ and T. ATMACA ~I

§ Istanbul Technical University, Mining FacultyMineral Processing Section,

80626 Maslak-Istanbul, Turkey. E-mail guneyali@itu.edu.tr
Bundeanstalt Fi,ir Geowissenschaflen und Rohstoffc, D-30655 Stilleweg-Hannover, Germany
(Received 6 January 2001: accepted 8 September 2001)

ABSTRACT
Karagedik Chromite. Concentrator qf the ETI Holding Co., which is located in Fethiye (south
Turkey), has been producing ehromite concentrate assaying 47-48 % Cr20.~ front chromite ores
containing 30-35 % Cr:O.¢ by gravity separation methods since 1920. The railings, containing 13-
14 % Cr203, which had been removed,from this plant, were accumulated at stockpiles, amounting to
about 1.2 million tons. Generally, at the chromite concentrators of Turkey, such as Karagedik
Concentrator, ultra fine size chromite particles (mitres 0.038 ram.) were removed as tailings.
Likewise, the tailings of the Karagedik concentrator contain a mbtus 0.038 mm fiaction amounting
to 42 % of the total. The Cr20; content of this size fiwtion is about 23 % with Cr:O¢ distribution of
76 %. In order to recover the ultra/i,te chromite particles from the Karagedik Concentrator
tailings, a tlew process, including Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separation and column flotation,
was developed attd the Karagedik Research Pilot Plant based on this process was commissioned in
1999. At this plant, final concentrates, assaying 46-48% Cr:O.¢ are produced and overall plant
recoveries are about 60-65%. © 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights resened.

Keywords
Oxide ores; tailings; magnetic separation; colmnn llotation

INTRODUCTION

At chromite concentrators using gravity separation methods, if their material size is about minus 1.0 mm,
chromite particles tend to pass to fine fractions according to their mineralogical structures and the ore-
genesis (Onal and GiJney, 1990). Generally, after crushing and grinding, shaking tables and spirals are used
at the concentrators, therefore fine size chromite particles (-0.038 ram) are removed as tailings. The size
distribution of the representative samples taken lrom Karagedik railings stockpiles are given in Figure l a.
The Cr203 content of the 0.1 mm size fraction with 52.3% of the total amount, is 19.58 % with Cr:O3
distribution of 82.6%.

In order to upgrade the minus 0.1 rain size fraction of the tailings, assaying about 20% Cr203, Karagedik
Research Pilot Plant (KRPP), which includes Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separation (WHIMS) and
Column Flotation units, was installed by Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Mineral Processing Section
in 1999. The flow sheet of the Karagedik Research Plant is shown in Figure 1.

" Presented at Minerals Engineering 2000, Cape Town, South Africa, November 2000

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 New aspect of chromite gravity tailings re-processing 1529

EXPERIMENTAL

The feeding material of the KRPP having 5 tons per hour capacity, is obtained from stockpiles amounting
to 1.2 million tons. Alter attrition scrubbing, the feed is sent to a screen with aperture of 1.0 mm. The
screen overflow, assaying 5-6 % Cr203 is removed as tailings. Screen underflow is classified to -1.0+0.1
nun and 0.1 mm size fractions by using cyclone and sieve bend. -1.0+0.1 mm size fraction, assaying 6-7
% Cr203, is sent to the existing gravity separation plant, -0.1 mm size fraction is firstly fed to WHIMS for
pre-concentration and it non-magnetic product, assaying 10-11 ~ Cr203. consisting of serpentine, talc and
olivine minerals is separated as railings. Also the magnetic product (25-30 % Cr~O3) obtained from
WHIMS is fed to two stages conditioners after dewatering to 30 % solids.

In the first conditioner, 1.200 g/t NaOH is added to give a pH of 10-10.5, and 800 g/t Na2SiO3 in order to
depress gangue minerals and disperse the pulp. In the second conditioner, 450 g/t Flotinor SM-15 (a
mixture of phosphoric acid mono and diesters of alkyl polyglycol ethers) and 300 g/t Flotinor SM-35
(sodium salt of an aliphatic carboxylic acid ester) are added as collectors and the pulp is sent to flotation
columns. There arc two Turbo type flotation columns of 1.5 x 6.0 m. 100 Nm3/h air is fed to each column.
Column froth levels are 20 cm, adjusted automatically. The results obtained at KRPP are given in Figurelb,
c,d.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In order to evaluate Karagedik chromite tailings, many studies were carried out by various authors (Atak,
1987: Atalay et at., 1988; Gtiney, 1990). In flotation studies (conventional, free jet and column) various
reagents were tried. In gravity separation, slime tables, Mozley and Multi Gravity Separator (MGS), and in
magnetic separation, WHIMS (Jones and Carpco type) were used (Dogan et al., 1996). Satisfactory results
could not be obtained by using only one method. On the other hand, several methods gave successful
results when applied together (Gtiney et al., 1999).

Initially, WHIMS (Jones type) is applied at 1.4 Tesla magnetic field intensity, gangue minerals of very fine
size are partially removed, having a negative effect on flotation of chromite. In this way, a pre-concentrate
of chromite improves flotation by the use of SM-15 and SM-35 as collectors at pH 10-10.5 in the second
stage (G0ney et al.. 1996 and Giiney et al., 1999). A high degree of selectivity was particularly obtained by
application of column flotation. Turbo type column installed at KRPP has superiority over concentration
colunms (Terblanche el al., 1998).

From Figure la, the sample taken from railings stockpiles has a grade of 13-14 % Cr:O3 containing 52.3 %
minus 0. I fraction with a Cr203 content of 19.58 %. This fraction is concentrated by WHIMS and column
flotation and then concentrates with a grade of 45-48% Cr203 are obtained with recoveries of 70-75%. The
recovery in the plant is about 60 c~. On the other hand, the recovery of chromite with sizes of both +1.0
mm a n d - l . 0 + 0 . 1 mm was 65 %.

CONCLUSIONS

1. Karagedik-Fethiye(south Turkey) chromite tailings amount to 1.2 million tons with an average grade
of 13 %. In the tailings, 83% of the chromite exists in -0.1 mm fraction with Cr203 content of 20%.
2. In order to concentrate - 0 . I mm size fraction, WHIMS and column flotation were tried. KRPP with 5
tons per hour capacity was commissioned in 1999.
3. Concentrates with Cr203 content of 4 5 4 8 % were obtained at KRPP with recoveries of 70-75% for
the feed o f - 0 . 1 mm size fraction. Overall plant recovery is 60-65 % for the feed of 13-14% Cr203.
4. KRPP is the first application of WHIMS and column flotation to ultra-fine chromite railings in the
world.
5. KRPP will produce about 6,000 tons of concentrate per year. The cost of 1 ton of chromite concentrate
will be about 40 US$.
1530 A. Gfiney et al.

REFERENCES

Atak, S., Adsorption of oleate on chromite. AuJbereitungs-Technik, 1987, 121,727-733.

Atalay, M.U., Ozbayoglu, G. & Dogan, M.Z., Mechanism of collector adsorption in chromite flotation, In
Proceedings of 11. hlternational Mineral Processing Symposium, Ed. Y. Aytekin, Izmir, Turkey, 1988,
pp. 441-449.
Dogan, M.Z., Onal, G., Gtiney, A. and Ytice, A.E., New Developments in Processing of Chromite Tailings
in Turkey, Mineral Processing and Environment, Nato Advanced Study Institute, Director: G.P.Gallios,
18-30 August, Varna, Bulgaria, 1996, pp. 281-291.
Gtiney, A., Concentration of fine chromite railings from Etibank Uck6prti Gravity Concentration Plant,
PhD Thesis, Istanbul Technical University, Mining Faculty, 1990.
Gtiney, A., 0hal, G., (~elik, M.S., A new flow sheet for processing chromite fines by column flotation and
collector adsorption mechanism. Minerals Engineering, 1999, 12(9), 1041-1049.
G/.iney, A., Sirkeci, A.A.and Ytice, A.E., Re-evaluation of Chromite Tailings, Swemp'96, Environmental
lssues and Waste Management in Energy and Mineral Production, Cagliari, Italy, 1996, pp. 393-401.
Onal, G., Gtiney, A. Chromerzbergbau In Der Turkei, AuJbereitung Technik, 1990, 31, 24-28
Terblanche, A.N.,Grobler, W.A., Onal, G. and Gtiney, A., Turbo Flotation Column with Enhanced
Flotation Performance, In Proceeding of the VII. International Mineral Processing Symposium, Ed. G.
Onal, S. Atak, M.S. (~elik, Istanbul Turkey, September 1998, pp. 257-265

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