Beneficiation and Evaluation of Mutaka kaolin
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Date
2011
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
In Proceedings of Second International Conference on Advances in Engineering and Technology
Abstract
Kaolin is an important industrial mineral which often needs upgrading for special applications. The upgrading process, commonly known as beneficiation, is aimed at removing impurities like feldspar, quartz, iron oxide, etc. In this study, a kaolin sample was collected from a deposit located at Mutaka, South-Western Uganda, – the biggest kaolin deposit in the country. With the aim of upgrading this sample, it was processed by a laboratory hydro cyclone to produce a kaolinite concentrate and this has been characterized to ascertain its use as an industrial raw material. Characterization of the beneficiated sample was carried out by XRD, SEM, particle-size distribution, density and volume measurements, chemical analysis, whiteness index test, thermal
analysis (DTA/TG) and surface area measurements. Results show that the laboratory beneficiation exercise improves the kaolin sample to a very high grade with a chemical composition close to that of ideal kaolinite. The major impurity after beneficiation, iron oxide, was further reduced by acid leaching. Results show that the properties of the final product are close to that of ideal kaolin.
Description
Keywords
Beneficiation, Kaolin, Mutaka kaolin, Particle size distribution.
Citation
Kirabira, J. B., Jonsson, S., & Byaruhanga, J. K. (2011). Beneficiation and evaluation of Mutaka kaolin. In Proceedings of Second International Conference on Advances in Engineering and Technology, December (pp. 20-21).