Beneficiation of Kalabsha kaolin ore and its utilization in the manufacture of solid alum

Twenty-four samples of kaolin ore were collected from the kaolin mine at Ka labsha. The samples were crushed and dry and wet screened into different pa rticle sizes. The chemical analyses for SiO2 and Al2O3 indicate that the pa rticle size of 7 to +0.850 mm is the most suitable, as it gives the highest Al2O3% and the lowest SiO2% compared to the original samples, The sample o f 22.4 mm in size was subjected to attrition in tap water for one hour, The slime and solid residue were collected and passed through a set of sieves. The -0.075 mm fraction was cycloned to separate very fine particles (-0.01 mm). Each fraction was collected, dried, and analyzed. The results indicat e that the -0.01 mm particle size yields the highest Al2O3 (38.40%), and th e lowest SiO2 (43.50%) and Fe2O3 (0.90%), compared to the original sample. The solid alum was prepared from the roasted sample (-0.01 mm particle size ) at 600 degreesC for 30 minutes, using concentrated H2SO4 with gentle heat ing and stirring until white intensive fumes of H2SO4 evaporated. The present work is intended to beneficiate the kaolin ore of the Wadi Kala bsha area, employing the effect of dry screening and attrition followed by hydrocyclone to separate very fine size particles for the manufacture of so lid alum [Al-2(SO4)(3)]. The present study indicates that 1.337 ton of kaol in ore is beneficiated to produce 0.526 ton for use in alum production.