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Bayer Process Chemistry: Dr. M. Coley
Bayer Process Chemistry: Dr. M. Coley
Dr. M. Coley
Evaluation of Jamaican Bauxites
Convenience of location – easily reached by rail,
road, ropeway
Mineralogy –
• Gibbsitic, mixed or boemitic Al2O3 ores
• High reactive SiO2 – SiO2 removal process required
Pre-desilication process 8
developed 6
CaO Added
4 No CaO
CaO used to reduce NaOH
2
losses
0
0 5 10 15
Careful blending practiced
12 P2O5
approaches
10
[P2O5]
saturation
8 levels
6
CaO Added
4 No CaO
P2O5 levels
2 fall as
Ca3(PO4)2
0 forms
0 5 10 15
Time
Jamaican Bauxites cont’d - 3
Very fine particle size
Particles ~ 0.5μ in size
Screening, magnetic
separators
Stockpiling – central
locations
On site storage: 3 – 7
days supply
Bauxite Grinding & Pre-desilication
Bauxite Storage area Feed hopper
Classifier
TTL Digester
Liquid caustic
Pre-Digestion
TTL: Test Tank
A/C ~ 0.400
~ 4.5M NaOH, low [Al2O3]
Slurry held 10 – 16 hrs Bauxite
CaO
Slurry:
35 - 50% solids, 95oC
~4% +35 mesh (< 500 µ) Ground
bauxite
Pre-desilication facilitates: slurry
Al2O3.2SiO2.2H2O + 6NaOH
kaolinite
3(Na2O . Al2O3.2SiO2.2H2O)Na2X
Bayer sodalite
DSP Seed
added to
speed up
desilication
Pre-Digestion cont’d
Minimizing NaOH & Al2O3 in DSP
CaO