Descriptive Process Mineralogy to Evaluate Physical Enrichment Potential of Malatya/Kuluncak Rare Earth Ore through MLA

Abstract

Rare earth elements (REE) are indispensable for industries such as magnetic, phosphorus, metal alloys, catalysts, ceramics, glass, polishing and defense systems due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Currently, China is the largest supplier in the world, accounting for production of more than 95% of the world’s rare earth oxides (REO). To reduce the influence of China on the REE market, some countries have started to develop their own national strategies for the production and use of REE-bearing resources. Within the scope of this study, particle size, chemical, MLA, XRD, and SEM-EDS analysis were performed for material characterization, and shaking table, centrifugal, and magnetic separations were carried out for the beneficiation of Malatya/Kuluncak rare earth ore. The XRD analysis indicated that the representative sample consisted of major minerals such as albite, calcite, montmorillonite, muscovite, titanite, kaolinite, clinochlore, and aegirine. Parisite, bastnaesite, Zr-REE-Silicate, Fe-REE-Oxide, and Ca-Ti-Nb-REE-Oxide were detected as REE-bearing minerals by MLA. The chemical analysis resulted in a ∑REO grade of 3628 g/t, and the ore consisted mostly of light REEs. According to the results of the gravity separation for the coarsest fraction, about 11.3% by weight of the total feed was concentrated as a heavy product with 6437 g/t ∑REO content. As a result of magnetic separation, magnetic products with 5561 g/t and 6013 g/t ∑REO were obtained as coarse and fine fractions, respectively. Finally, the characterization studies and enrichment results were correlated, and very important and meaningful indications about the behavior of REE-bearing minerals were obtained.