MINERAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PHOSPHATE TAILINGS FOR POSSIBLE REPROCESSING OF ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66104/pep5m473Keywords:
Mineral Characterization, Waste Reuse, Mining TailingsAbstract
This study investigates the mineralogical and technological characterization of a phosphate mining tailing, with the objective of evaluating its reprocessing feasibility. The increasing generation of mining waste and the need for higher phosphorus recovery make it essential to explore alternatives for reutilizing such materials. The analyzed tailing, originating from desliming stages of the beneficiation process, exhibits predominantly ultrafine particle size distribution, with approximately 50% of particles smaller than 0.012 mm. Chemical analysis indicated an average P₂O₅ grade of 7%, with the highest concentrations occurring in the particle-size range between 0.011 and 0.044 mm. The tailing’s mineralogy is predominantly composed of apatite, magnetite, micas, and clay minerals, all of which hinder conventional concentration processes. Pure apatite collected for complementary studies exhibited electrokinetic behavior compatible with the use of anionic collectors, such as fatty acids, at pH values above 8.5. However, the presence of contaminants and the ultrafine particle size indicate low flotation efficiency under conventional conditions. Therefore, effective reprocessing of the tailing requires advanced mineral beneficiation routes, such as selective aggregation and leaching, reinforcing the need for modern technologies for handling discarded residues to ensure more sustainable, safe, and efficient mining operations.
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