Characterization of Minerals, Metals and Materials: Mineralogical Analysis and Process Improvement
Sponsored by: TMS Extraction and Processing Division, TMS: Materials Characterization Committee
Program Organizers: Mingming Zhang, Baowu Ouyeel Co. Ltd; Zhiwei Peng, Central South University; Jian Li, CanmetMATERIALS; Bowen Li, Michigan Technological University; Sergio Monteiro, Instituto Militar de Engenharia; Rajiv Soman, Eurofins EAG Materials Science LLC; Jiann-Yang Hwang, Michigan Technological University; Yunus Kalay, Middle East Technical University; Juan Escobedo-Diaz, University of New South Wales; John Carpenter, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Andrew Brown, Devcom Arl Army Research Office; Shadia Ikhmayies
Thursday 8:30 AM
March 23, 2023
Room: Aqua 313
Location: Hilton
Session Chair: Yunus Kalay, Middle East Technical University
8:30 AM Cancelled
Evaluating the Morphology of Crystalline Glass Developed from Corn Cob Ash: Bidemi Elesho1; Andrew Adejo2; Adele Garkida3; 1The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti; 2Federal University of Lafia; 3Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Samples of corn cob (Sammaz 40) was collected, beneficiated and pulverized into 10mm particle size, carbonized at 400oC for 3hrs and activated at 600oC for 6hrs in a furnace. Using the approximation method, sodium-aluminosilicate based glass batch was designed. Adopting the petrurgic method, 5% of the designed batch was melted at 1200oC for 5hrs, cooled to room temperature at 1oC and 5oC respectively for every 60sec and a crystallized glass was formed. The glass was analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (ASTM E-986), X-ray diffraction (ASTM E-975) and compressive strength evaluation (ASTM C-773). The results showed the presence of an amorphous and a crystalline phase within a ratio of 70:30 range, sharp Bragg's peak zone near 2θ=27oC indicates Nepheline (NaAlSiO4) crystalline phase and a compressive strength ranging between 11000–12000psi which implies that crystalline glass developed from agro-waste (corn cob) is advantageous in areas where strength is of high essence.
8:50 AM
Characterization of Zircon and Rare Earth Bearing Minerals in Black Sands of a Gold Dredging Operation in Colombia: Gustavo Neira-Arenas1; Animesh Jha2; Lucia Ochoa-Correa1; 1Universidad Nacional de Colombia; 2University of Leeds
The alluvial black sands in Colombia (S America) contain economically extractable concentrations of REE and other associated minerals, and could represent an attractive source of these critically important elements. In this work, an assessment of the composition and physical properties of black sands co-abundant with the alluvial gold in the North-East of Colombia is presented, under a perspective for the potential economic exploitation of the deposit by integrating with the current alluvial gold extraction. A combination of mineral characterisation techniques, namely, particle size distribution, physicochemical analysis, and mineralogical characterization by XRD and SEM-EDS are presented for reporting the presence of REE minerals in process streams and analysing their potential recovery. Light REE (La, Ce, Nd) were the identified recoverable elements, in the form of monazite, with only a minor presence of thorium. Other economically important minerals amenable for recovery as by products were also identified including zircon, ilmenite and magnetite.
9:10 AM
Forensic Signatures of Uranium Enrichment in UV Cured Epoxy: Daniel Reinfurt1; Michael Short1; Rachel Connick1; Avery Nguyen1; Charles Hirst1; 1Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons has many components, one of which is accounting for the production of fissile material. However, while there are well defined forensic techniques for estimating and verifying the production of plutonium, there are currently no such techniques for the production of highly enriched uranium, despite the fact that every nation which has acquired nuclear weapons having used uranium enrichment. Through the use of Fast Scanning Calorimetry, we investigate whether alpha radiation from uranium can cause a detectable change in the glass transition temperature in UV cured fluorinated epoxy, a material which can be used in uranium enrichment cascades. A change in the glass transition temperature can then be related to uranium enrichment and production. This potentially allows a way to fill the gap in nuclear forensics regarding uranium enrichment, allowing a more comprehensive verification of fissile material production for nations subject to the non-proliferation treaty.
9:30 AM
Research and Practice on the Effect of Different Calcium-containing Fluxes on the Production of Fluxed Pellets: Xiangjuan Dong1; 1Central Iron and Steel Research Institute
In this paper, five kinds of calcium-containing fluxes (calcium-containing flux A, calcium-containing flux B, calcium-containing flux C, calcium-containing flux D, and calcium-containing flux E) were selected to improve the basicity of pellets, at the same time, their physicochemical properties and microstructure were analyzed and compared. A new production process and technical route of using calcium-containing flux C to produce fluxed pellets were proposed, which has been well applied in Shougang Jingtang Company. The fluxed pellets possessed good quality with basicity at 1.1, SiO2 at 2.1%, and reduction swelling index at 16.5%. A good application effect was demonstrated that the pellet ratio in the charge of Shougang Jingtang Company increased from 28% to 55%, while the blast furnace slag reduced from 280kg/tHM to 215kg/tHM, and the fuel rate is reduced from 500kg/tHM to 483kg/tHM.
9:50 AM Break
10:05 AM
Characterization of Rayfield-jos Columbite Deposit for Efficient Beneficiation and Recovery of Niobium and Tantalum: Nnaemeka Nzeh1; Patricia Popoola1; Samson Adeosun2; Abraham Adeleke3; 1Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria; 2University of Lagos, Akoka; 3Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
The study primarily focuses on the characterization and physicochemical investigations of columbite samples from Rayfield-Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria. Samples were prepared and characterized by particle size, microstructural, chemical, and thermal analyses. Further, specific gravity, pH, porosity, moisture content and water absorption were determined. Chemical analyses showed reasonable compositions of Nb/Ta penta-oxides with certain degree of impurities/gangue minerals including radioactive materials. Results of analyses conducted strongly depict the columbite deposit as a somewhat promising mineral source of Nb and Ta but however of low-grade, and with potentials in developing appropriate, (cost) effective beneficiation routes for the metal(s) recovery. Thus, the study will create baseline information on choice selection as well as designing suitable, feasible extraction process routes/techniques to efficiently harness the refractory metals and other value metals from the study area. This will also serve as a tool in the advancement of mineral upgrade/beneficiation routes prior to hydrometallurgical and thermal treatments.
10:25 AM
Investigating the Morphology, Hardness, and Porosity of Spherical and Dendritic Copper Powder Filters Produced via Isostatic Pressing: Hasan Ayub1; Lehar Asip Khan1; Eanna McCarthy1; Inam ul Ahad1; Sithara Sreenilayam1; Karsten Fleischer1; Dermot Brabazon1; 1Dublin City University
Porosity in copper filters is sensitive to powder type and space holder material in addition to fabrication processing conditions. This study is focused on the use of two different copper powder types (spherical and dendritic) for the production of air flow filters. The hydraulic pressing method was used to produce copper filters under varying pressure with different spacer (polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)) concentrations. Samples were thermally sintered in two segments at 200 °C and 750 °C. The morphology, porosity, and mechanical properties of the sintered samples were characterized. The highest porosity was achieved in the sample produced using Dendritic powder mixed with the highest weight percentage of PVA (3%). As a porous structure, the hardness of the samples greatly varied within the samples. Copper filters with 14% to 26% porosity can be produced using spherical and dendritic copper powders by controlling the compaction pressure from 20 T to 25 T.
10:45 AM
Conversion of Ferronickel Slag to Thermal Insulation Materials by Microwave Sintering: Effect of Fly Ash Cenosphere Addition: Xiaolei Fang1; Zhiwei Peng1; Lei Yang1; Guangyan Zhu1; Mingjun Rao1; 1Central South University
The conversion of ferronickel slag (FS) to thermal insulation materials by microwave sintering in the presence of different additions of fly ash cenosphere (FAC) were studied. The results showed that adding proper amount of FAC could promote the generation of cordierite with low thermal conductivity during the sintering process, while the hollow spherical FAC facilitated the pore development and reduce the bulk density of thermal insulation materials. The thermal conductivity, bulk density, compressive strength, water absorption and linear shrinkage of the thermal insulation material were 0.328 W/(m·K), 1.45 g/cm3, 27.09 MPa, 23.48% and 7.74%, respectively under the conditions of the mass ratio of FAC to FS of 1/3, sintering temperature of 890 °C, and sintering time of 20 min. This study represents a good example of clean and efficient value-added utilization of FS and other solid wastes.
11:05 AM
Flexural Strength of Castor Oil Derived Polyurethane Composites Reinforced with Both Chamotte and Wood Chips Residues: Juvenil Oliveira1; Felipe Lopes1; Noan Simonassi1; Carlos Maurício Vieira1; Sergio Monteiro1; 1State University of Northern Rio de Janeiro
Studies related to environmental solutions have increased every year. In this scenario, the use of residue materials such as wood chips and chamotte reinforcing a green, plant derived and biodegradable matrix can potentially represent a final destination to these wastes. Therefore, the present work investigated the influence of eucalyptus wood chips and chamotte both obtained as industrial waste in the making of castor oil derived polyurethane resin (COPU) matrix composites. The composites were made by reinforcing a COPU resin from75 up to 85 vol% of eucalyptus residue along with up to 10 vol% of chamotte in a room temperature mold under 10 ton pressure resulting in a composite made around 98% in volume from a pant and/or a residue. The composites made were subjected to flexural tests and water absorption. The results shows the good performance of the eucalyptus chips and chamotte waste as composites reinforcement.