OPTIMIZATION AT LABORATORY SCALE OF CELESTITE MINERAL CONCENTRATION USING DENSE MEDIA IN A HYDROCICLONE SYSTEM

Noemi Ariza-Rodriguez^1,2

¹ Universidad de Granada, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, 18002

² Canteras Industriales, Cerro de Montevive 18110, Las Gabias

noemiar@correo.ugr.es

The Montevive Celestite deposit is the largest reserve in Europe of this economically important strontium ore, which has been recently classified as a critical raw material. Canteras Industriales,S.L. (CI),the company that operates the mine, has traditionally processed only high-grade mineral (>80 % celestite). This research aims to study the beneficiation of low–medium grade mineral (60-69 %), accumulated in the mine tailings and dumps, after a concentration process. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that the most effective method to concentrate Celestite mineral of a particle size range from 1 mm to 20 mm is using a high-density media separation (DMS) by a hydrocyclone system. Dense medium circuits operate with finely ground and heavy minerals suspended in water. This separation is based on a difference in densities between the interest mineral and the gangue. The main objective of that study is the optimization of parameters of the concentration process in the Advanced Mineral Processing (AMP) hydrocyclone pilot plant at lab scale. Three heavy minerals (ferrosilicom, magnetite and ilmenite) was applied to made the heavy solution. Minas Cassiterite Sobredra, S.A. supplied the Ilmenite (heavy mineral at low cost). Relevant parameters of plant operation such as celestite mineral granulometry, inlet pressure, heavy mineral suspension composition and flow rate needed to be controlled and optimized. The celestite mineral concentration and recovery plant would reduce mine operation costs avoiding blasting and clearings, ground displacement, generation of new residues and reducing fuel consumption. It would minimize the impact on the environment making the mine operation more sustainable and eco-friendlier.

*This project has indirectly received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme, via an Open Call issued and executed under project MINE.THE.GAP (grant agreement No873149).

Key words: Celestite, dense medium separation, concentration hydrocyclone, critical raw material,

CELABDEN PROJECT PRESENTATION

The first three editions of the ´Jornadas de Investigadores en Formación: fomentando la interdisciplinariedad´ were held in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 in person at the former Faculty of Medicine of the University of Granada (now Espacio V Centenario) located in Avenida de Madrid.

In both cases the objective was clear: to promote interdisciplinarity among the students of the three doctoral schools of the University of Granada (Health Sciences; Humanities, Social and Legal Sciences; and Sciences, Technologies and Engineering), as well as the programs that these include and the existing lines of research in each of them opening the participation in the second edition to doctoral students from other universities, and in the third edition becoming a National Congress.

To this end, the doctoral students had the opportunity to present papers in the form of oral communication, poster or informative session and to present the different techniques and tools used in the development of their research, as well as potential results that could be derived from them in different fields of science.

http://jornadasjiffi.ugr.es/origen/

The XXXIX Scientific Meeting of the Spanish Society of Mineralogy (SEM) and the XXVI Scientific Meeting of the Spanish Society of Clays (SEA) will be held jointly in Baeza (Jaén), at the Antonio Machado headquarters of the International University of Andalusia, from June 28 to July 1, 2022. The SEM-SEA 2022 meeting is organized by both scientific societies in collaboration with the University of Jaén (UJA) and the International University of Andalusia (UNIA). SEM-SEA 2022 is a meeting forum for the scientific community and professionals working in the fields of Mineralogy, Crystallography, Clays, Petrology and Geochemistry.

The workshop "Continental sediment metal contamination by agricultural, industrial and mining activities: mineral processes and bioavailability" will be held on June 28 and 29. It will maintain the traditional educational character of the SEM Seminars with lectures given by specialists, where aspects related to the contamination of recent sediments by metals as a consequence of industrial, agricultural and mining activities will be addressed. The objective is to give a current view of research and development in this emerging field of great scientific and economic interest, where the role of man in natural processes is so relevant. On June 29th there will be a scientific field trip to the Mining District of Linares to illustrate some of the aspects discussed on the previous day. This field trip will also be offered to interested congress participants who do not attend the workshop.

The scientific sessions of the Scientific Meeting of both societies will be held on June 30 and July 1. It will be possible to present papers related to all fields of Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, as well as more specific basic and applied aspects of clay minerals. Prestigious researchers will give invited lectures on topics of general interest. It is expected that the scientific sessions will be of high quality and will become forums for debate and exchange of ideas.

The International Doctoral School of the UM (EIDUM) together with the International Doctoral School of the UPCT (EINDOC) and the Campus Mare Nostrum (CMN) organize the VII Jornadas Doctorales 2022 on July 4, 5 and 6, 2022. These conferences are aimed at doctoral students from UM, UPCT and other Spanish or foreign universities who request their participation. Among the programmed activities are the delivery of plenary lectures, organization of workshops and presentation of papers (oral communications) by doctoral students from all branches of knowledge.

This event is part of the program of transversal training activities of the EIDUM and has the following objectives:

Exchange experiences among doctoral students from the different branches of knowledge, with the participation of faculty and students, encouraging debate and communication.

-To debate about the current problems of doctoral students from the different branches of knowledge.

-To disseminate research activity to all doctoral students, members of the university community, companies and society.

-To develop the capacity to exhibit and disseminate the research results of doctoral theses.

-To promote creative study and research skills among doctoral students.

-To highlight the value of the PhD degree in the access to the labor market.

We will contribute with an oral communication.

https://doctorado.us.es/noticias/686-vii-jornadas-doctorales-de-la-universidad-de-murcia-y-de-la-politecnica-de-cartagena