TY - GEN
T1 - Characterization of Hydrocarbons Contaminated Platinum Group Metals Mine Sludge from the Bushveld Complex
AU - Mavhungu, Elelwanir M.S.
AU - Nheta, Willie
AU - Rose, Derek
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, Avestia Publishing. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Mechanized mining methods adopted in platinum-group elements (PGE) industry leads to mobile machinery leakages which result in mine sludge contamination by hydrocarbons. This paper aims at investigating the mineralogical characteristics of the contaminated mine sludge in comparison to the pristine ore. Two types of samples were used in the study were pristine PGE ore and contaminated PGE mine sludge. The samples were analysed using FTIR, XRF, XRD, SEM-EDS, Fire assaying, ICP-OES and Malvern PSD analyser for elemental composition, mineral composition, particle size distribution and the presence of hydrocarbon functional groups. FTIR results indicated the presence of a single C-H bonds in the contaminated mine sludge, which is the hydrocarbons functional group and pristine PGE ore was found to be free from an indication of such contaminants. The fire assaying results revealed that the mine sludge contained a total of 9.32g/t 4E (5.68 ppm Pt, 2.95ppm Pd, 0.6ppm Rh and 0.09ppm Au) and the pristine ore 4.74g/t 4E (2.64ppm Pt, 1.63ppm Pd, 0.42ppm Rh and 0.05ppm Au). SEM-EDS further confirmed that the sludge is indeed richer in PGE than pristine PGE ore. Mineral phases identified by XRD included millerite, chalcocite, aluminium oxide, chalcopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, anorthite, enstatite and magnesium chromite and they were common to both samples. Particle size analysis revealed that the hydrocarbon contaminated mine sludge and the pristine ore had a P80 of 169 and 252µm respectively. Both samples had approximately 4% of fines (<10 µm). Remedial of hydrocarbon contaminants would lead to high grade PGE recovery.
AB - Mechanized mining methods adopted in platinum-group elements (PGE) industry leads to mobile machinery leakages which result in mine sludge contamination by hydrocarbons. This paper aims at investigating the mineralogical characteristics of the contaminated mine sludge in comparison to the pristine ore. Two types of samples were used in the study were pristine PGE ore and contaminated PGE mine sludge. The samples were analysed using FTIR, XRF, XRD, SEM-EDS, Fire assaying, ICP-OES and Malvern PSD analyser for elemental composition, mineral composition, particle size distribution and the presence of hydrocarbon functional groups. FTIR results indicated the presence of a single C-H bonds in the contaminated mine sludge, which is the hydrocarbons functional group and pristine PGE ore was found to be free from an indication of such contaminants. The fire assaying results revealed that the mine sludge contained a total of 9.32g/t 4E (5.68 ppm Pt, 2.95ppm Pd, 0.6ppm Rh and 0.09ppm Au) and the pristine ore 4.74g/t 4E (2.64ppm Pt, 1.63ppm Pd, 0.42ppm Rh and 0.05ppm Au). SEM-EDS further confirmed that the sludge is indeed richer in PGE than pristine PGE ore. Mineral phases identified by XRD included millerite, chalcocite, aluminium oxide, chalcopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, anorthite, enstatite and magnesium chromite and they were common to both samples. Particle size analysis revealed that the hydrocarbon contaminated mine sludge and the pristine ore had a P80 of 169 and 252µm respectively. Both samples had approximately 4% of fines (<10 µm). Remedial of hydrocarbon contaminants would lead to high grade PGE recovery.
KW - Bushveld complex
KW - Platinum-group elements
KW - flotation
KW - hydrocarbons
KW - mechanized mining
KW - mine sludge
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85145329309&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.11159/mmme22.116
DO - 10.11159/mmme22.116
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85145329309
SN - 9781990800108
T3 - Proceedings of the World Congress on Mechanical, Chemical, and Material Engineering
BT - Proceedings of the 8th World Congress on Mechanical, Chemical, and Material Engineering, MCM 2022
A2 - Qiu, Huihe
A2 - Zhang, Yuwen
A2 - Iasiello, Marcello
PB - Avestia Publishing
T2 - 8th World Congress on Mechanical, Chemical, and Material Engineering, MCM 2022
Y2 - 31 July 2022 through 2 August 2022
ER -