Beneficiation of low-grade, high-phosphorus manganese ores of Andhra Pradesh, India, by wet high-intensity magnetic separation

An attempt was made to beneficiate low-grade, high-phosphorus manganese ol es of the Garividi-Garbham region of Andhra Pradesh, India, by using wet hi gh-intensity magnetic separation (WHIMS). The distribution behavior of both mass and chemical constituents in different size fractions of a typical hi ghly weathered ore sample was studied to obtain information about the liber ation characteristics of various chemical constituents. Magnetic separation indicated that in the +208-mu m size fractions, P and acid insolubles were concentrated in the magnetic fractions. However, in the -208-mu m size fra ctions, P and acid insolubles were concentrated in the nonmagnetic fraction because of a lower recovery of the magnetic function. Variations in field intensity between 1.3 and 1.75 T had little effect on the recovery and the grade of concentrate. The results also demonstrated that phosphorus was ass ociated with all three major constituent phases, namely oxides of Mn and Fe and aluminosilicate gangue minerals.