Minerals Beneficiation - Properties of Nonmagnetic Taconites Affecting Concentration

This paper describes the study of 23 nonmagnetic iron-formation samples from the Mesabi Range and shows the significance of their chemical, mineral, and physical properties in terms of their concentration. Data presented here resulted from a research project carried out from 1942 to 1952 by 10 major producers of iron ore, working in conjunction with Battelle Memorial Institute. THE inevitable depletion of Mesabi direct-shipping iron ores, hastened by recent wars, has increased the importance of developing methods to concentrate iron-formation materials. Many mining companies, independent research organizations, chemical companies, and equipment manufacturers are devoting attention to this important work. It is only natural that magnetic iron-formation materials have received major emphasis, since magnetic recovery methods apply and reserves of Mesabi magnetic taconites are large. However, the nonmagnetic* iron-formation materials are likewise believed to represent a large reserve and their study has not been neglected. tions over the years have shown that in addition to the unenriched taconite, which is dense and hard, and the direct-shipping ore, there are transition taconites grading into the friable wash, or intermediate ores. The transition taconites are less massive than the unaltered taconites and usually coarser-grained. This variation, coupled with the fact that there were no extensive drillings in the unaltered taconite, posed a most difficult problem of obtaining samples that would be representative of large tonnages of the fresh rock. The problem was increased by the tremendous extension of the nonmagnetic formation materials on the Mesabi and by the question of their accessibility to mining. A drilling program was evolved that would surmount these difficulties. Selection of samples was made by a committee representing producers in the area. The samples were procured from 1—taconite walls near bodies of stripping burden or wash ore and 2—from shafts in the process of being sunk through taconite for drainage or mining operations. Most of the samples were obtained from the cherty horizons because it became obvious early in the program that the slaty horizons represented an exceedingly difficult concentration problem, owing to the character of the gangue minerals and the fine grind required for liberation of the valuable minerals. More samples were procured from the lower cherty horizon than from the upper cherty because it was more accessible to mining. It is not known how well the samples selected represent the nonmagnetic iron-formation material. However, they were chosen by people Well acquainted with the geology of the Mesabi range and the mining problems involved. It is believed that they represent a fair cross-section of the types of materials that will be encountered. Table I gives data on the origin of the 23 samples and the horizon footages from which they were obtained. Samples 1 through 10, and 15 and 16