Grindability, Energy Requirements and Gravity Separation of Quartz from Blast Furnace Ironmaking Slag by Shaking Table and Falcon Concentrator

This study aims to evaluate the grindability and energy requirements for the liberation of quartz from blast furnace ironmaking slag. Furthermore, the study investigates the efficiency of gravity concentration method by using a shaking table and Falcon concentrator for the separation of quartz from the slag. The grindability of the slag was evaluated using the Bond’s Work Index (BWI) method. The energy required for the liberation of quartz was determined using a Modified Bond’s Work Index (MBWI) method. The results showed that the BWI of the slag was 13.5 kWh/t and the MBWI of the quartz was 22.3 kWh/t. Gravity separation tests were carried out using a shaking table and a Falcon concentrator. The results showed that the shaking table was able to recover 91.2% of the quartz with a grade of 99.5% SiO₂. The Falcon concentrator was able to recover 98.3% of the quartz with a grade of 99.7% SiO₂. In contrast, the study found that the quartz in blast furnace ironmaking slag can be physically separated using gravity separation techniques such as shaking table and Falcon concentrator. The study also provides valuable information on the grindability and energy requirements for the liberation of quartz from the slag, which can be used in the development of more efficient separation processes.