YUBDO PLATINUM EVALUATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

ABSTRACT

The theme of this project was to explore economic reserve and to develop an efficient beneficiation method that ensures economic recovery of platinum metal which is widely used in Jewelry and as a catalyst in chemical industries. Yubdo platinum deposit was found to contain 77% platinum, 2.1% gold, 15.2% iron and other platinum group elements. Although a reserve estimated to range from 20,000-40,000 kg platinum and 90,000-100,000 kg gold occurs in the Yubdo area, exploitation could not advance because of the fine particle size which hindered efficient recovery by conventional gravity concentrators. All efforts and experimental works by earlier works using gravity concentrators and Froth Flotation methods gave discouraging recovery results.

The project has, therefore, been launched to develop a reliable process flow sheet that guarantees efficient and economic recovery. In undertaking the research, size analysis test had been done on four ore samples of varying platinum content using mesh screens and cyclosizers at Lega Dembi Gold Mine Metallurgical Testing Laboratory. Beneficiation trial was also conducted using Hydrocyclone Classifier, Wifely Shaking table and Mozely Mineral Separator. Results obtained indicate that the maximum recovery that can be achieved is only 23% as the major fraction of the platinum contained in the ore falls in the range outside the recovery range of a combination of these methods. Most of the platinum is evenly distributed in the 60% material which is below 45 microns of particle size. From this investigation, it has been concluded that the gravity equipment that should be tried is Knelson Concentrator or Bartley Mozely Table for which a reasonable recovery rate for particle sizes below 45 microns is claimed.

Note: The final technical report has not been submitted. One technical report and a rapportuer's report of the First Cycle Local Research Grant is available at the Mines, Water and Energy Department of the ESTC.

(Report 1994

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