Lincang Superlarge Germanium Deposit in Yunnan Province,China: Sedimentation,Diagenesis,Hydrothermal Process and Mineralization

The mineralization is related closely to sedimentation, diagenesis and hydrothermal processes. In this paper, investigations are carried out on coal occurrence, maceral composition, inorganic minerals, trace elements and huminite reflectance. It is concluded that the source of Lincang superlarge deposit is mainly the muscovite granite in the west edge of the basin. During sedimentation, Ge (germanium) was leached out and entered the basin. Ge was adsorbed by lower organism and humic substances in water. Lincang lignite underwent three thermal processes: peatification, early diagenesis and hydrothermal transformation. During peatification, Ge was adsorbed or complexed by humic colloids. During early diagenesis, the Ge associated with humic acids was hard to mobilize or transport. Most of Ge entered the structure of huminite while a small amount of Ge was associated with residual humic acids as complex or humate. During hydrothermal transformation, the heated natural water or deep fluid from basement encountered the coal layer within tectonic weak zone. SO 2- 4 was reduced by coal organic matter. Pyrite and calcite formed. Hydrothermal process did not contribute significantly to mineralization.

Mineralogical Characteristics of Exsolved Spinel in the Panzhihua V-Ti Magnetite Deposit, Sichuan: Implications for the Mineralization Process

Spinel exsolution is widespread in titanomagnetite from the Fe-Ti oxide gabbro of the Panzhihua intrusion, Emeishan Large Igneous Province, SW China. However, little research has been conducted into the implications of patterns in the mineralogical characteristics of the spinel for spatial variation in the controls on the exsolution mechanism and, hence, the formation process of the ore deposit. This study selected the Lanjiahuoshan Ore Block in the Panzhihua V-Ti magnetite deposit to explore this issue, systematically studying exsolution textures in the titanomagnetite through petrographic observation and the integrated use of in-situ microanalysis. The results show that the exsolved spinel gradually becomes finer-grained and less abundant from the center to edge and the bottom to top of the ore bodies. Compositionally, there is an inverse correlation between the size of exsolved spinel grains and their Mg# value. In addition, there is compositional zonation in the spinel interiors, with a gradual increase in the Mg content and decrease in Fe content from the core to the rim. The analysis suggests that fractional crystallization of ferrotitanium magma with a high oxygen fugacity in a shallow magma chamber caused compositional differences in the primary magnetite solid solution in different parts of the Panzhihua intrusion. Additionally, the thermal evolution of the magnetite solid solution differed in different parts of orebody, bringing about variations in spinel development. Together, these effects resulted in spatial variation in the abundance, grain size, and morphology of spinel in different parts of the orebody and intrusion that follows an identifiable distribution law. Furthermore, the compositional zonation of exsolved spinels reflects the rapid growth of exsolution features in a high-temperature environment. Thus, the size, morphology, abundance, and composition of spinel exsolution features in titanomagnetite provide a valuable petrogenetic tool for estimating the maturity and formational environment of the deposit.

DBU-based CO2 absorption-mineralization system: Reaction process,feasibility and process intensification

Amine-based carbon dioxide(CO2)capture is still limited by high desorption energy consumption.Fixing CO2 into carbonate is a safer and more permanent method.In this work,calcium oxide(CaO)is introduced to perform chemical desorption instead of thermal desorption on 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene(DBU)aqueous solution after CO2 absorption.The X-ray diffraction(XRD)patterns of solid products show the formation of calcite calcium carbonate(CaCO3),which prove the feasibility of this method.The effects of reaction temperature,reaction time and Ca2+/CO32-molar ratios on the related reactions in CO2 absorption-mineralization process and CaCO3 precipitation are discussed,and purer CaCO3 is obtained by ultrasonic treatment.The CaCO3 content can be increased to 95.8%and the CO2 desorption ratio can achieve 80%by 30 min ultrasonic dispersion treatment under the conditions(40℃,180 min,Ca2+/CO32-molar ratio=1.0).After five cycles,DBU aqueous solution shows stable CO2 absorption and mineralization ability.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR)spectra of the reaction process also indicate the regeneration of the solvent.Compared with thermal desorption,this process is exothermic,almost without no additional heat.

Magmatic Evolution and Mineralization Process of the Super-Large Shihuiyao Rb–Nb–Ta Deposit,Southern Great Xing'an Range,China

Rare metal ore reserves are an important strategic resource, and their metallogenic mechanism and mineralization studies have also been received widespread international attention.

Cadmium-containing Wastewater Induced by SRB:Effect of Multiple Ions and Mineralization Process

The effects of various general and heavy metal ions in acidic cadmium-containing wastewater on SBR desulfurization and cadmium removal under different concentrations were studied.CrO_(4)^(2-) and S^(2-) inhibited SRB mineralization,and Mg^(2+),Ca^(2+),Fe^(2+),and Fe^(3+) promoted SRB mineralization at low concentration(<50 mg/L).The inhibitory concentrations of Cu^(2+),Mn^(2+),Co^(2+),Zn^(2+),Pb^(2+),Hg^(2+),Cr^(3+),and Ni^(2+) were 10,30,2,20,25,5,30 mg/L,respectively.The inhibition order was Co^(2+)>Hg^(2+)>Cu^(2+)>Ni^(2+)>Zn^(2+)>Pb^(2+)>Mn^(2+)>Cr^(3+).Furthermore,the inverted microscopy and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)were used to observe the sediment crystallization process from macroscopic and microscopic viewpoints in the optimized ion environment.The experimental results show that under the mineralization of SRB,cadmium sediment crystallization is mainly divided into the rapid growth of bacteria,crystal nucleus production,block formation,and crystallization occuration.At the same time,X-ray diffraction(XRD)and energy-dispersive spectra(EDS)have also confirmed the sediment and crystallization.

Study of the Mineralization Process of granular apatites in Weng'an Baidou Phosphate Deposit Using Microbeam Analyses

1 Introduction Studies of marine sedimentary phosphate rock have lasted decades,scholars proposed some standpoints about mineralization,however,the genesis of mineral deposits remains to be a controversial question(She et al.,2013).There are many viewpoints of mineralization about the Doushantuo phosphorites,Central Guizhou,including biological mineralization(Mi et al.,2010;Shi et al.,2005),

Metallogenic Processes:Evidencesfrom Zoning Patterns of Mineralization and alteration and fluid inclusion geochemistryin the Lehong Zn-Pb Deposit in Northeastern Yunnan, China

1 Introduction The large clusters of Zn-Pb deposits in northeastern Yunnan,located in the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block,are an important part of the Sichuan-YunnanGuizhou Pb-Zn Poly-metallic Metallogenic Triangle Area

Recent Progress on Data-Based Optimization for MineralProcessing Plants

In the globalized market environment, increasingly significant economic and environmental factors withincomplex industrial plants impose importance on the optimization of global production indices; such opti-mization includes improvements in production efficiency, product quality, and yield, along with reductionsof energy and resource usage. This paper briefly overviews recent progress in data-driven hybrid intelli-gence optimization methods and technologies in improving the performance of global production indicesin mineral processing. First, we provide the problem description. Next, we summarize recent progress indata-based optimization for mineral processing plants. This optimization consists of four layers： optimiza-tion of the target values for monthly global production indices, optimization of the target values for dailyglobal production indices, optimization of the target values for operational indices, and automation systemsfor unit processes. We briefly overview recent progress in each of the different layers. Finally, we point outopportunities for future works in data-based optimization for mineral processing plants.

Mineral processing plant location using the analytic hierarchy process——a case study:the Sangan iron ore mine(phase 1)

Locating the mineral processing plant near a mine is the most important parameter that affects the whole process.Many factors,and their preferences,should be considered in this stage.The factors include economical,geological,technical,environmental and tectonic parameters.A multi-criteria decision making method is necessary to rank the alternatives.In this paper we describe how plant location is selected by using the Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP).This method,with eight criteria,was used to select a location for the mineral processing plant at the Sangan iron ore mine(phase 1).Three alternatives for the processing plant were evaluated.The main criteria were distance from the mine,access to heavy machinery transport,the amount of excavation required for grading,bed mixture capacity,belt conveyor length,distance from the tailing dam,distance from the waste dumps and surface water diversion requirements.Finally,the alternatives were ranked and the best location was proposed.

Process simulation and energy integration in the mineral carbonation of blast furnace slag

Large quantities of blast furnace(BF) slag and CO_2 are discharged annually from iron and steel industries, along with a large amount of waste heat.The mineral carbonation of BF slag can not only reduce emissions of solid waste but also realize the in-situ fixation of CO_2 with low energy consumption if integrated with the waste heat utilization.In this study, based on our previous works, Aspen Plus was employed to simulate and optimize the carbonation process and integrate the process energy.The effects of gehlenite extraction, MgSO_4 carbonation,and aluminum ammonium sulfate crystallization were studied systematically.The simulation results demonstrate that 2.57 kg of BF slag can sequester 1 kg of CO_2, requiring 5.34 MJ of energy(3.3 MJ heat and 2.04 MJ electricity), and this energy includes the capture of CO_2 from industrial flue gases.Approximately 60 kg net CO_2 emission reduction could be achieved for the disposal of one ton of BF slag.In addition, the by-product,aluminum ammonium sulfate, is a high value-added product.Preliminary economic analysis indicates that the profit for the whole process is 1127 CNY per ton of BF slag processed.

An Overview of Mineral Processing in China

The latest progress in mineral processing in China is described. It is also pointed out that the existing technology can not meet the needs of economic development. The combined challenges of poor resources, economical benefits and environmental pollution issues require further research to upgrade the separation efficiency economically. The methods of mineral processing should play a more important part in waste treatment such as wastewater treatment, the remediation of contaminated soil and the recycling of wastes. Biomineral technology will be utilised in the near future.

CO_(2) mineralization of carbide slag for the production of light calcium carbonates

The production of polyvinyl chloride by calcium carbide method is a typical chemical process with high coal consumption,leading to massive flue gas and carbide slag emissions.Currently,the carbide slag with high CaO content is usually stacked in residue field,easily draining away with the rain and corroding the soil.In this work,we coupled the treatment of flue gas and carbide slag to propose a facile CO_(2)mineralization route to prepare light calcium carbonate.And the route feasibility was comprehensively evaluated via experiments and simulation.Through experimental investigation,the Ca^(2+) leaching and mineralization reaction parameters were determined.Based on the experiment,a process was built and optimized through Aspen Plus,and the energy was integrated to obtain the overall process energy and material consumption.Finally,the net CO_(2)emission reduction rate of the entire process through the life-cycle assessment method was analyzed.Moreover,the relationship between the parameters and the CO_(2)emission life-cycle assessment was established.The final optimization results showed that the mineralization process required 1154.69 kW·h·(t CO_(2))^(-1) of energy(including heat energy of 979.32 kW·h·(t CO_(2))^(-1) and electrical energy of 175.37 kW·h·(t CO_(2))^(-1)),and the net CO_(2)emission reduction rate was 35.8%.The light CaCO_(3)product can be sold as a high value-added product.According to preliminary economic analysis,the profit of mineralizing can reach more than 2,100 CNY·(t CO_(2))^(-1).

Process mineralogy and characteristic associations of iron and phosphorus-based minerals on oolitic hematite

The chemical compositions,mineralogical characteristics,as well as dissemination of iron-and phosphorus-based minerals were studied for the E’xi oolitic hematite from western Hubei Province in China by using chemical analysis,optical microscope,electron probe micro-analyzer(EPMA)and energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS).It is found that this kind of oolitic hematite ore contains 47.71%TFe,10.96%SiO_2,as well as 0.874%P,with hematite as the dominant Fe-bearing minerals,and quartz,chamosite,illite and cellophane as main gangue minerals.The microscope examination showed that the ore has an oolitic structure,with some ooids principally formed by a series of concentric layers of hematite collophanite around nucleus that is hematite in the association with collophanite.Based on the EPMA and EDS analysis,it can be known that some ooids are primarily composed of hematite and collophanite.The separation can be achieved through fine grinding for those collophanite laminae with a higher P content.However,the dissemination of two minerals at the interface will result in the difficulty in effective separation.Besides,some ooids are made of chamosite with some nucleus formed of quartz,which is principally finely disseminated with hematite.In view of the close association and dissemination of iron-and phosphorus-based minerals in the ooids,it is found that the process of stage-grindings and stage-separations can be adopted to effectively increase the iron recovery and decrease the P content in the concentrate to some extent.

Correlations between mineral composition and mechanical properties of granite using digital image processing and discrete element method

This study investigated the correlations between mechanical properties and mineralogy of granite using the digital image processing(DIP) and discrete element method(DEM). The results showed that the X-ray diffraction(XRD)-based DIP method effectively analyzed the mineral composition contents and spatial distributions of granite. During the particle flow code(PFC2D) model calibration phase, the numerical simulation exhibited that the uniaxial compressive strength(UCS) value, elastic modulus(E), and failure pattern of the granite specimen in the UCS test were comparable to the experiment. By establishing 351 sets of numerical models and exploring the impacts of mineral composition on the mechanical properties of granite, it indicated that there was no negative correlation between quartz and feldspar for UCS, tensile strength(σ_(t)), and E. In contrast, mica had a significant negative correlation for UCS, σ_(t), and E. The presence of quartz increased the brittleness of granite, whereas the presence of mica and feldspar increased its ductility in UCS and direct tensile strength(DTS) tests. Varying contents of major mineral compositions in granite showed minor influence on the number of cracks in both UCS and DTS tests.

Analysis of Mineralization System and Prediction of New-Type Ore Deposits

The discovery of new-type ore deposits, an important approach to guarantee the mineral resources supply in the 21st century, often brings about a gigantic increase in the mineral resources reserves. The analysis of mineralization system is of great importance to the discovery of new type ore deposits. ① The understanding of the relationship among various ore deposit types within a mineralization system in a region can help us to locate the unknown ore deposit types from the known ore deposit types, evidence that has been proved in the mineral prospecting history of ore belts in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. ② The understanding of the spatial structure of a mineralization system, especially of the vertical zonation, is helpful for the discovery of the concealed ore deposit types. ③ Clarifying the temporal structure of a mineralization system, including the iteration relationship between the mineral deposit types in the mineralization, leads to the location of the missing mineralization chains from the known mineralization chains (mineral deposit type), a method often proved to be effective in the magmatic hydrothermal mineralization system.④ Clarifying the factors restraining the diversity of mineral deposit types in mineralization system leads to the discovery of the potential of new type mineral deposits in relevant region. ⑤ Studying new mineralization setting and new ore forming processes leads to discovery of new type mineral deposit. More probabilities of discovery of new type mineral deposits are present in biogenic mineralization system, deep sea mineralization system, low temperature mineralization system, tectonic mineralization system and superimposed mineralization system.

Effect of mineral processing wastewater on flotation of sulfide minerals

The effects of mineral processing wastewater on sulfide minerals were investigated by flotation,infrared spectrometry and electrochemistry test. The results show that lead-concentrate water can improve the flotation of galena,while the sulfur-concentrate water has negative effect on flotation of galena compared with distilled water. The flotation behavior of pyrite is contrary to that of galena in three kinds of water. Infrared spectra indicate that the residual collector in the lead-concentrate water is beneficial to the formation of lead xanthate on the surface of galena. Electrochemistry results indicate that electrochemistry reaction on galena surface has apparent change. The anode polarization is improved and cathode polarization is depressed.

Sorption Characteristics of CO₂on Rocks and Minerals in Storing CO₂Processes

As CO2 is injected into pore spaces of water-filled reservoir rocks, it displaces much of the pore fluids. In short terms (several to tens of years), the greater part of the injected CO2 is predicted to stay as free CO2 , i.e. in a CO2 rich dense phase that may contain some water. This paper investigates the sorption characteristics for rocks (quartzose arenite, greywacke, shale, granite and serpentine) and minerals (quartz and albite) in the CO2 rich dense phase. The measurements were conducted at 50°C and 100°C, and pressures up to 20 MPa. Our results demonstrated that significant quantities of CO2 were sorbed with all the samples. Particularly, at 50°C and 100°C, quartzose arenite showed largest sorption capacity among the other samples in higher pressures (>10 MPa). Furthermore, comparison with model prediction based on the pore filling model, which assumed that CO2 acts as filling pore spaces of the rocks and minerals, suggested the importance of the sorption mechanism in the CO2 geological storage in addition to the pore-filling mechanism. The present results should be pointed out that the sorption characteristics may have significant and meaningful effect on the assessment of CO2 storage capacity in geological media.

Study on mixing and segregation behaviors in particulate fluidized bed system for mineral processing

In order to identify the mixing and segregation behaviors in a mineral processing operation, present study aimed on the hydrodynamics of solid–liquid fluidization. The study was carried out in a fluidization column with tapings at different height of the bed to collect the sample. The binary particles considered in this study are hematite(4800 kg/m3) and quartz(2600 kg/m3) at different size fractions in the range of average size 87×10^(-6)m to 400×10^(-6)m. It is observed that for various binary mixtures, both quartz and hematite particles share the equal composition by mass(50%) at a particular height of fluidized bed, referred as ‘‘locus point'' of mixing. Study indicates that the mixing zone volume will increase for a continuous fluidized bed plant operation. It is observed that the number of locus points varies from 1 to 3 signifying their dependency on the size ratios of binary mixture. Whenever, the difference in terminal velocity between quartz and hematite particles approaches to zero, mixing is enhanced.Further, the present study is extended to find the segregation index for the different size ratios of quartz and hematite particles. It is evident that depending on the size ratios, various regions such as complete segregation, partial mixing and complete mixing can be observed.

NEW PROGRESS IN MINERAL PROCESSING——REPORT ON FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MODERN PROCESS MINERALOGY AND MINERAL PROCESSING

The first International Conference on Modern Process Mineralogy and Mineral Processing, organized by the Nonferrous Metals Society of China and hosted by Beijing General Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy,was held on September 22-25,1992,in Beijing,China.About 350 scholars and experts from 25 countries and regions showed up at the conference and 130 papers were presented,among them 98 papers are of mineral processing.Some of the papers given in mineral processing are summed up as follows.