Proceedings of 14

th
International Mineral Processing Symposium Kuadas, Turkey, 2014
183
INVESTIGATION OF THE ENRICHMENT POSSIBILITIES OF
TEKCROM MINING COMPANY TAILINGS

Hseyin Vapur
1, a
, Soner Top
1
, Seda Demirci
1

Yusuf Develi
2
and Ayhan Ali Sirkeci
3


1. Cukurova University Adana, Turkey
2. Teckrom Mining Company, Hatay, Turkey
3. stanbul Technical University, stanbul, Turkey
a. Corresponding author (hvapur@cu.edu.tr)


ABSTRACT: In this research, hand sorting tailings of the chromite plant, Tekcrom
Mining Company, located in Hatay/Turkey were used. The samples were investigated by
gravity methods to determine enrichment possibilities. Shaking table and MGS (Multi
Gravity Separator) experiments were performed as processing methods. After grinding,
while the samples whose particle sizes are over +53 m were tested at the shaking table,
the other sample -53 m were tested at MGS. The samples worked at the shaking table
tests were divided into four dimensional fractions as -1000+500 m, -500+212 m,
-212+106 m and -106+53 m. The samples had -500+212 m dimensions were able to
enrich 48.87% Cr
2
O
3
grade with 68.97% total concentrate yield by shaking table tests as an
optimum value. In the MGS experiments, a concentrate with 44.78% Cr
2
O
3
grade and
71.94% recovery yield was obtained by optimum conditions (200 rpm, 2 drum slope, 15
mm amplitude, 10% solid ratio with 2 L/min flow rate with wash water).

1. INTRODUCTION
Chromite ores, which is one of the most
important raw materials of metallurgy
and chemistry industries, are mostly
beneficiated by gravity separation
methods such as shaking table, MGS,
Humprey spiral and jigging due to
density difference between chromites and
gang minerals. Besides, magnetic
separation methods are applied to
chromite ores because of the high
magnetic susceptibility of the chromites.
A lot of chromite beneficiation researches
were performed by using gravity and
magnetic separation methods [Wills,
1985; Burt, 1987; Cicek and Cocen,
2002; Agacayak et al., 2007; Aslan and
Kaya; 2009]. Usage area of chromite ores
depend on Cr:Fe ratio. The ores which
have Cr:Fe>2.8 ratio are suitable for
metallurgical uses while the ores which
have Cr:Fe of 2.8-1.8 ratioare suitable for
refractory making. The other chromite
ores are processed by chemical industry
[Tripathy et al., 2012]. Generally,
Turkish Chromite ores have high Cr:Fe
ratio. 2013 proved to be a year of
expansion for the chrome industry.Global
ferrochrome output reached a new record
high in 2013, at 10.8 million tonnes.
Ferrochrome output volume expanded
sharply in China, which confirmed its
position of the world's greatest
ferrochrome producer by manufacturing
around 4 million tonnes of material in
2013 [ICDA, 2014]. Chromite ore
production by regions is seen in Figure 1.

Turkey is the sixth largest chromite ores
exporter in the world. These ores have
been mined from mostly serpentinized
ultramafic bodies, discontinuously
spreaded all over the country [Agacayak
et al., 2007]. Chromite deposites in
Turkey are alpine (podiform) type and
their formation is generally observed in
the east-west direction. As a result of
intense tectonic activities, various ore
types such as massive, banded, leopard
skinchromites were formed. The
184
accompanying secondary minerals found
in Turkish chromite deposits are dunite,
harzburgite, olivine, serpentine and talc
[Onal et al., 1986].

Ophiolites of the Southeastern Turkey
occur along the border folds belt forming
the northern boundary of the Arabian
plate. They extend along an ophiolitic
zone between the Troodos (Cyprus) and
the Semail ophiolite (Oman) which, at
least at the first glance, poses
implications about the existence of a
southerly ocean, with respect to the major
North Anatolian ophiolite belt, in the
Eastern Mediterranean.In the western end
of this zone, the second ophiolite after the
Troodos is the Kzlda ophiolite. It is the
most complete and the best preserved
ophiolite among the Turkish ophiolites.
The Kzlda ophiolite nappe has been
emplaced upon the thick autochthonous
Cambrian to Cretaceous shelf section that
characterizes the Arabian Peninsula
[Tekeli and Erendil, 1986]. Working area,
which is located in Hatay/Turkey, is in
formation of the Kzlda ophiolite.

In Turkey, chromite ores concentration
plants are mostly limited by shaking table
applications. Because of the fluctuations
related to Chinas purchasing power in
chromite prices, chromite companies tend
to sell lump chromite ores. Hand sorting
method has an important place in the
lump chromite ores production.















Figure 1.Chrome ore production by region [ICDA, 2014]

2. MATERIAL and METHOD
2.1. Materials
In Tekcrom Mining Company Plant, the
chromite ores are extracted by open pit
and underground mining methods. Then,
lump chromite ores over 42% Cr
2
O
3

grade are picked by hand sorting method.
Hand sorting tailings are stocked up to
storage area. The sample, approximate
300 kg, was taken from the area stocked
over 400000 tons of tailings in this
company. Also, there are other
companies produces chromite
concentrates (lump chromite) by similar
route. The samples was brought to the
laboratory and reduced by quartering.
Reduced samples were used in separation
tests and characterization definition
stages.In order to find out
characterization of the tailings, Rigaku
Minflex II X-ray diffractometer (XRD)
was used. According to the XRD results,
the samples consist of antigorite
(serpentine), olivine, chromite,
magnesiochromite and diopside minerals
(Figure 2). Chemical composition of the
tailings were determined by MiniPal-4

Proceedings of 14
th
International Mineral Processing Symposium Kuadas, Turkey, 2014
185
Figure 2: XRD Pattern of the chromite tailings

Panalytical XRF device and confirmed by
wet chemical analysises and Perkin
Elmer PinAAcle 900 H Atomic
absorption spectrophotometer device.
Chemical composition of the tailings is
seen in (Table 1).

Table 1: Chemical composition of the
tailings
Compound %
MgO 29.09
Al
2
O
3
01.47
Cr
2
O
3
14.55
SiO
2
34.16
Fe
2
O
3
17.43

Firstly, tailings were crushed to minimize
particle size under 5mm. Then, dry
grinding tests were applied to the crushed
tailings by laboratory type rod mill. In the
grinding tests, 12 kg of steel rod and 1.0
kg of the crushed tailings was used as
grinding media. The effect of the
different grinding times on grain size of
the tailings is seen in Figure 3. In view
of the size of the grinded materials, 10
minutes grinding time was detected as
convenient comminition time (d80= -650
m.











Figure 3: Effect of grinding time on size
reduction.

2.2. Methods
The samples investigated by processing
methods at the shaking table tests were
divided into four dimensional fractions as
-1000+500 m, -500+212 m, -212+106
m and -106+53 m. MGS tests were
carried out by using -53 m fraction. The
laboratory type C900 MGS with a
nominal capacity of 150 kg/h, used for
the test, consists of a slightly tapered
open end drum measuring 0,6 m long
with a diameter of 0,5 m, which rotates in
a clockwise direction (viewed from the
open end) and is shaken sinusoidal in an


A
A: Antigorite Cr: Chromite
S: Serpentine O: Olivine
Mg-Cr: Magnesiochromite
D: Diopside
186
20
25
30
35
40
45
160 180 200 220 240 260
Yield
Grade
%
Stroke Number (rpm)
axial direction. Firstly, preliminary
shaking table tests were applied for
ascertaining the variable parameter values
which are table slope, particle size and
stroke number (invariable parameters for
each test are water flow rate: 10 l/min,
feeding weight: 1,0 kg). Besides, 4
o
table
slope and 202 rpm stroke number were
constant parameters in stroke number and
table slope determining tests,
respectively. Fraction of -106 m was put
aside for processing tests due to its slime
size. The effects of parameters on the
enrichment were determined by keeping
invariable parameters constant. Then,
design tests for determination of optimum
flow sheets were applied.

3. RESULTS
It can be seen that Cr
2
O
3
yield and grade
of concentrates increased when particle
sizes were decreased in preliminary
shaking table tests with different stroke
numbers (rpm) or frequency. The tests
results applied to -1000+500 m fraction
indicated that deliberation degree of the
particles was not enough for the
separation of chromite from gangue
minerals. Therefore, there are fluctuations
in Figure 4. Both concentrate grade and
yield values were low in this fraction.
Figure 4: The effect of stroke number
(rpm) on yield (%) at -1000+500 m
(Figure 5) shows that good quality
chromites (Cr
2
O
3
>50%) were obtained,
albeit without high recovery yield at
-500+212 m fraction. Especially, when
stroke number was 202 rpm, the best
yield percent was obtained (68%).
-212+106 m fraction, high recovery
yields were achieved although chromite
grade cannot exceed 50% (Figure 6).
Besides, when stroke number was 202
rpm the highest yield percent was
obtained (~ 80%).
Figure 5: The effect of stroke number
(rpm) on yield (%) at 500-212 m

Figure 6: The effect of frequency on the
beneficiation at -212+106 m
Proceedings of 14
th
International Mineral Processing Symposium Kuadas, Turkey, 2014
187

The best result for frequency tests was
obtained at 500-212 m fraction and 202
rpm frequency with 53.82% Cr
2
O
3
grade
and 68.14% recovery yield. In all of the
tests, if the middling apportioned,
recovery yield would increase.

In table slope determining tests, 3
o
was
seen fit for coarse particles
(-1000+500 m) while 4
o
was preferred
for finer particle sizes as shown in Figure
7, 8 and 9. But grade values of
concentrates were not suitable for as a
saleable product in -1000+500 m
fraction. It shows that liberation degree is
insufficient (Figure 7). Figure 8 shows
chromite recovery yield and grade of the
concentrate at -500+212 m fraction. In
this fraction, chromite grade being the
best value at the 4
o
slope (Cr
2
O
3
>50%)
were obtained. In -212+106 m fraction
slope determining tests, high recovery
yields were achieved with approximate
50% chromite grade (Figure 9).
Processing studies consists of 5 stage
containing shaking table and MGS
methods. As it can be seen in Figure 10,
the recovery process of tailings for
-1000+500 m were performed in
following flow sheet.
Figure 7: The effect of slope on the
beneficiation at 1000-500 m fraction
Figure 8: The effect of slope on the
beneficiation at 500-212 m fraction

Figure 9: The effect of slope on the
beneficiation at 212-106 m fraction

In this size fraction, the rough
concentrate was processed by shaking
table with different slope again.
Scavenger 1 was recovered by processing
tailings and Cleaning 1 recovered from
rough concentrate. Finally, it was
observed that recovery grade was 46,73%
with 28,79% yield. It was shown in
188
(Figure 11) that the grades% of tailings
for -500 +212 m was reached at
marketable values. But, yields% values
for concentrates were very low except
Concentrate 1 (55.06%). Besides, it was
thought that chromite contents in the final
middling product can be recovered by
slime table with grinding in this fraction.
The recovery process of -212+106 m
size range is seen in the flow sheet
(Figure 12). It was obvious that the
chromite yields% of this fraction were
better in comparison with -500-212 m
fraction but not for grades%. The best
chromite grade% was taken from rough
concentrate with %46.39. Desliming was
applied to the -106 m fraction and -53
m materials was set aside in order to fed
into MGS while -106+53 m fraction
was processed by shaking table
(Figure 13).










Figure 10. Shaking table test results for -1000+500 m














Figure 11. Shaking table processing test results for -500 +212 m
Tailing
Scavenger 1
Tailing
Feeding
Yield%
Weight% Grade%
100
100 6,94
3,41
20,05 1,18
32,63
8,95 25,3
29,17
37,78 5,36
5,97
28,95 1,43
Tailing
Final Tailing
Concentrate
Middling
Scavenger 2
Cleaning 1
Slope 4
o

Slope 6
o


Slope 4
o


Slope 2
o

28,79
4,28 46,73
27,30
Feeding
Middling
Tailing
2
Tailing
Concentrate 1
Tailing
Concentrate 2
Concentrate 3
Slope 4
o

Slope2
o

100
100 18,48
1,74
1,18
55,06
20,38 49,94
7,86
3,10 46,88
6,03
2,60 42,89
2,10
22,83 1,70
27,21
23,80 21,13
Slope 4
o

Slope 6
o

Middling


Proceedings of 14
th
International Mineral Processing Symposium Kuadas, Turkey, 2014
189











Figure 12. Shaking table processing test results for -212+106m














Figure 13. Shaking table processing test results for -106+53 m

The concentrates over 48% Cr
2
O
3
grade
were achieved through this route. It was
seen that chromite contents escaping to
the tailings were more than other size
ranges in this fine fraction. MGS tests
were applied to -53 m fraction at
different rotational speeds as 270, 230
and 200 rpm consecutively. A
concentrate with 71.94% Cr
2
O
3
grade and
44.78% yield was recovered by following
route (Figure 14).
4. CONCLUSIONS
Present study demonstrates that Teckrom
Mining Company tailings can be
beneficiated by shaking table and MGS.
Different 5 flow sheets processing
different sized material were created with
merchantable concentrate products. There
is no processing plant in this region.
Therefore, ~ 2000000 tons/year
processable tailing has been being
10,55
5,00 42,02
Tailing 1
2,66
40,80 1,30
Feeding
Tailing 2
Concentrate 1
Concentrate 2
Concentrate 3
Middling
Slope 2
o


Middling
23,56
10,88 43,16
Shaking Table
Slope 4
o

100
100 19,92
43,55
18,70 46,39
Slope 2
o


0,70
7,28 1,93
18,97
17,35 21,78
Desliming
(53m)
Slope 2
o


Slope 2
o


Middling
Slope 2
o

100
45 13,19
-53m to
MGS
Tailing 1
11,54
6,06 34,54
Feeding
100
100 15,91
100
55 18,14
+53m to
Shaking Table
Tailing 2
8,05
21,05 6,94
Concentrate 1
23,54
8,55 49,96
Concentrate 2
23,87
8,93 48,47
Middling 2
33,00
26,94 22,22
190















Figure 14. MGS processing test results for -53m

produced from several chromite plants,
locally. It is obvious that if this tailings is
economically recovered with suitable
processing method, it will be contributed
to national economy.

Acknowledgements: This study was
supported in part by Cukurova University
(Project Code: MMF2011YL13).

REFERENCES
Agacayak, T., Zedef, V. and Aydogan, ., 2007.
Beneficiation of Low-grade Chromite Ores
of Abandoned Mine at Topraktepe,
Beyehir, SW Turkey,
ActaMontanisticaSlovaka, Volume (12),
323-327.
Anonymous, 1986.Evaluation of Etibankkpr
Chromite Tailings, Research Project, ITU;
Mining Faculty, Mineral Processing Section.
Aslan, N. and Kaya, H., 2009. Beneficiation of
Chromite Concentration Waste by Multi-
Gravity Separator and High-Intensity
Induced-Roll Magnetic Separator, The
Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering
Volume (34), Number 2B, 285-297.
Burt, R.O., 1987. Gravity Concentration methods,
Mineral Processing Design, Ed: Yarar B and
Dogan Z.M., NATO ASI Series E: Applied
sciences-No. 122, 106-137.
Cicek, T. and Cocen, I., 2002.Applicability of
Mozley Gravity Separator (MGS) to Fine
Chromite Tailings of Turkish Chromite
Concentrating Plants, Minerals Engineering,
Volume (15), 91-93.
ICDA, 2014. International Chromium
Development Association, (Web access time:
05.06.2014;
http://www.icdacr.com/index.php?option=co
m_content&view=article&id=578&Itemid=6
98&lang=en).
Tekeli, O. and Erendil, M., 1986.Geology and the
Petrology of the KizildagOphiolite (Hatay),
Bulletin of the Mineral Research &
Exploration Institute (MTA), Volume (21),
21-37.
Tripathy, S. K., Singh, V. And Ramamurthy, Y.,
2012. Improvement in Cr:Fe Ratio of Indian
Chromite Ore for Ferro Chrome Production,
International Journal of Mining Engineering
and Mineral Processing, I(3), pp. 101-106.
Wills, B. A., 1985. Mineral Processing
Technology, 3
rd
edition, Pergamon Press,.

Feeding
MGS 270 rpm
MGS 230 rpm
MGS 200 rpm

Middling
12,14
11,91 13,44
100
100 13,19
Tailing 1
9,04
38,44 3,10
Tailing 2
1,99
12,36 2,12
Tailing 3
4,91
16,10 4,02
Concentrate
71,94
21,19 44,78