An analysis showing the options available for a low grade sub-economic iron ore deposit 40 - 50 % Fe

1. BASDEW ROOPLAL
Pre- feasibility study of a low grade / sub economic
Iron ore deposit

2. CONTENTS
1. Introducion
2. Analysis of Given
Information
3. Preliminary flowsheet
options
4. Testwork Program
5. Other factors for
consideration
6. Examples of detailed
flowsheets
7. Conclusions
8. Recommendations

3. INTRODUCTION
• This is a Greenfield project
in the Northern Cape, with
an exploration licence.
• Available information after
a year of exploration drilling
and conceptual phase
results:
•  Discovered resource size
enough for 25 years at a
planned product rate of
• 30 000 000 tons product per
annum.
• 
• Low grade ore with a % Fe
in resource varying
between 40% and 50%.
•  Conceptual phase results
indicated a possible top size
of 6.3mm.

4. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
• To Outline a program
that will take the project
from a conceptual stage
to the feasibility stage.

5. GIVEN INFO –
PRODUCTION / GRADE
• Production
• 30 million tons per
annum
• 2.5 million tons per
month
• 100 000 tons per day
• 4000 tons per hour
• Grade
• 40 – 50 % Fe
• On grade
• > 65 % Fe
• Off Grade
• > 60 < 65 High
• > 39 < 60 Low
• Waste
• < 39 % Fe

6. SIZE DISTRIBUTION
• Given < 6.3 mm
• > 10 mm subjected to
direct smelting
• Possible upgrade
methods available < 10
mm
• Gravity Separation
• Magnetic Separation
• Flotation
• Online elemental analysis
/ Scanning

7. GRAVITY SEPARATION
• Mineral Densities
• Hematite 5.1
• Magnatite 5.2
• Goetite 4.2
• Siderite 3.8
• Gangue 2.65
• Cut Point 2.9 – 3.2
• Equipment Available
• DMS Cyclones - 120 tph
• - 6 + 0.2 mm
• Batac Jigs 500 tph
• - 30 + 0.5 mm
• Spirals 3 tph
• -1 + 0.03 mm
• Tables 2 tph
• - 1 + 0.03 mm

8. MAGNETIC
SEPARATION / FLOTATION
• Wet / Dry Magnetic
Separators
• High Intensity
• 7 000 – 20 000 Gauss
• Medium Intensity
• 2000 – 7000 Gauss
• Low Intensity
• 1000 – 2000 Gausss
• Flotation
• - 65 micron Fraction
• Fatty Acids
• Petroleum sulfonate
collectors

9. ONLINE ELEMENTAL
ANALYSIS / SCANNING
• Khumani Iron ore
• Elemental Analysis
• Fe
• Al2O3
• K2O + Na2O
• SiO2
• Estimated Yields
• Ongrade > 80 %
• Off Grade High
• >65 < 80 %
• Off Grade low
• > 45 < 60 %

10. FLOWSHEET OPTIONS –
ELEMENTAL SCANNINGROM Elemental Analyser
On Grade > 65% Fe
Waste < 39% Fe
Off Grade >39 < 65 % Fe
Crushing / Screening
Crushing / Screening
Further Beneficiation
Pelletiing Smelting

11. OFF GRADE
BENEFICIATION OPTIONCrushing / Screening
Jigs / DMS Spiral / Tables
WLIMS / WHIMS
+1 mm - 1 mm
Coarse
Concentrate
Regrind / Ball Mill
WLIMS / WHIMS
Tails
Tails
Tails
Fine
Concentrate
Tailings
to
Waste

12. WASTE < 39 % FE OPTION
Tailings from Elemental Scan
Tailings from WHIMS
Tailings from Spirals
Semi Autogeneous
Milling
Flotation
Filteration / Pelletising Thickeners / Slimes Dam
TailsFloat Conc

13. TESTWORK PROGRAM
• Elemental Analysis
• XRF X-Ray florence
spectroscopy
• Necessary to
determine the
components of the
mineral and its
behaviour during
processing
• Mineralogy
• QEMSCAN, MLA, X-ray
diffraction (XRD),
HyLogging and optical
microscopy
• Important in choosing
the method of
upgrading via
comminution, gravity,
flotation and/or other
beneficiation processes

14. TESTWORK PROGRAM
• HyLogging
• spectral analysis
technology for rapid,
automated scanning of
iron ore drill core, chips
and powder.
• This technology is used
for a range of
applications from logging
and archiving core,
mineral exploration, and
mine planning, to
geometallurgy and
mineral processing
• The instrument
generates digital
images and surface
spectra which is
interpreted by software
to produce
mineralogical
information.

15. METALLURGICAL
TESTWORK
• 15 metre drop test to
estimate lump/fines
ratios and the particle
size distribution
expected from blasting
and processing
• Lump and fines
products -
beneficiation testwork
or characterisation
• iron ore physical testing
- Tumble Strength Testing
o iron ore thermal testing
- Reduction Disintegration
Index
- Reducibility -
Decrepitation Index

16. METALLURGICAL
TESTWORK
• Magnetite testing,
including wet and dry
magnetic separation
(LIMS)
• Beneficiation testing -
spirals, up-current
classifiers, jigging, WHIMS
• Flotation testing - direct
and reverse for silica
removal
• stage pulverized and
optimisation tests versus
grind size
• Magnetic susceptibility
• Densimetric testing
• Granulometric
• Online measurement &
Ore sorting technologies

17. METALLURGICAL
TESTWORK
• Agglomeration
including pellet and
sinter testing
• Wet and dry rare earth
drum capacity
• Advanced screen
• Comminution
• Autogenous media
competency
• Bond abrasion index
• Bond ball mill work index
• Bond impact crushing
work index
• Bond rod mill work index
• Comparative work
index
• High pressure grinding
rolls (HPGR

18. METALLURGICAL
TESTWORK
• JK drop-weight test and
SAG mill comminution
(SMC) test
• Levin open circuit
grindability
• Point load test
• SAGDesign (Starkey)
• Ultra fine grinding
• Unconfined compressive
strength
• Pilot testing
• Bulk crushing and screening
• AG/SAG milling
• Ball milling
• HPGR
• Hydrocyclones
• Spiral Pilot Rig
• Magnetic separation
• Dense medium cyclone plant
• Gravity separation
• Flotation
• Scrubbing
• Dewatering and tailings
management

19. OTHER INVESTIGATIONS
• Logistics of transporting
of finished products
• Water management
requirements
• Power and raw material
requirements
• Skilled labour manning
and training
• Waste material storage
capacity and
management
• Opportunity for other
value add benefits at the
source

20. DETAILED FLOWSHEET

21. 360 – 800 TPH WHIMS

22. COMPARISON OF UNDERBED /
SIDE AIR PULSED JIGS

25. CONCLUSIONS
• Careful consideration
should be given to the
Elemental and
mineralogical Analysis as
this can yield valuable
design information
• Well chosen
combinations of gravity
and magnetic separation
units can provide for
successful upgrade
methods for a low grade
deposit.
• Conceptual phase of
logistics of ore /
product transportation
and movement needs
to be completed as
large volumes are
under consideration.
• Conceptual
requirements for
process water to
support a Wet
processing plant needs
to be evaluated.

26. CONCLUSIONS
• Lab scale testing will
provide sufficient results
for a pre-feasibility stage
• Process simulation and
pilot tests should be
carried out during the
feasibility stage for more
accurate results.
• Sufficient Consideration
should be given to
Elemental scanning
techniques at source or
at an early stage of the
flowsheet as this can
reduce the volume to be
processed and capital
cost.

27. RECOMMENDATIONS
• Sufficient work should be put into the logistics
of the project.
• Laboratory scale test work should be carried
out on process beneficiation techniques using
elemental scanning / gravity separation and
wet magnetic separation techniques on
available material.
• More emphasis should be placed on
elemental and mineralogical Analysis at this
stage of the project.