| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2024 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Alumina & Bauxite
|
| Presentation Title |
Challenges with Characterizing and Processing Goethite-rich Jamaican Bauxites |
| Author(s) |
Michael Delroy Coley, Anthony Michael Greenaway, Alicia Buckley, Khadeen Elizabeth Henry, Jheanell James, Jason Brown |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Michael Delroy Coley |
| Abstract Scope |
Low temperature bauxite/alumina plants in Jamaica traditionally process hematite-rich ores with manageable concentrations of phosphate, zinc, chromium and manganese impurities. As these ores become less available, they are replaced by bauxite with lower available alumina, higher goethite levels and enhanced concentrations of phosphate and metal impurities. The minerals responsible for the minor contaminants have not been identified and this paper explores whether they accumulate in any fraction of the ground bauxite. Fractions of goethitic bauxite from the new ore bodies were investigated using XRD and related techniques. Although some fractions had higher impurity concentrations, they were inconsistent and did not permit mineral identification. The results for caustic soluble phosphorus and zinc show that processing the new bauxite either by itself or in blends with the traditional feed is feasible, but treatment of the extracted impurities will be costly and more complicated. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: Light Metals |
| Keywords |
Extraction and Processing, Characterization, Hydrometallurgy |