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

INVESTIGATION OF THE ENRICHMENT POSSIBILITIES OF

TEKCROM MINING COMPANY TAILINGS
Hseyin Vapur1, a, Soner Top1, Seda Demirci1
Yusuf Develi2 and Ayhan Ali Sirkeci3
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% Cr2O3 grade with 68.97% total concentrate yield by shaking table tests as an
optimum value. In the MGS experiments, a concentrate with 44.78% Cr2O3 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

183

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% Cr2O3
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

184

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 14th International Mineral Processing Symposium Kuadas, Turkey, 2014

A: Antigorite Cr: Chromite

S: Serpentine O: Olivine
Mg-Cr: Magnesiochromite
D: Diopside

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

Al2O3

01.47

Cr2O3

14.55

SiO2

34.16

Fe2O3

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

185

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, 4o 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 Cr2O3 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 5) shows that good quality

chromites (Cr2O3>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

45
40

35
30
Yield

25

Grade
20
160

180

200

220

240

260

Stroke Number (rpm)

Figure 4: The effect of stroke number

(rpm) on yield (%) at -1000+500 m

186

Figure 6: The effect of frequency on the

beneficiation
at
-212+106
m

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

The best result for frequency tests was

obtained at 500-212 m fraction and 202
rpm frequency with 53.82% Cr2O3 grade
and 68.14% recovery yield. In all of the
tests, if the middling apportioned,
recovery yield would increase.
In table slope determining tests, 3o was
seen
fit
for
coarse
particles
(-1000+500 m) while 4o 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 4o slope (Cr2O3>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 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

Figure 7: The effect of slope on the

beneficiation at 1000-500 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

187

(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
100

6,94
100

Tailing

Slope 2o

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).

Feeding

Weight% Grade%
Yield%
Concentrate

Slope 4o
Tailing

Scavenger 1

Slope 6o
Cleaning 1

Tailing
20,05
1,18
3,41

4,28

46,73
28,79

Slope 4o
Final Tailing
28,95

Middling

1,43
5,97

37,78

Scavenger 2

5,36
29,17

8,95

25,3
32,63

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

Feeding

100

18,48
100

Tailing

Slope 4o

Concentrate 1
20,38
49,94
55,06

Slope2o

Tailing
27,30

Middling

1,18
1,74

Concentrate 2
3,10

46,88
7,86

Concentrate 3
2,60

42,89
6,03

Slope 6o

Slope 4

Tailing
2
22,83
1,70

2,10
23,80
21,13
27,21

Middling

Figure 11. Shaking table processing test results for -500 +212 m

188

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

Feeding

Concentrate 1
18,70 46,39
43,55

19,92
100

100

Tailing 1
40,80 1,30
2,66

Shaking Table
Slope 4o
Middling

Concentrate 2
10,88 43,16
23,56

Slope 2o

Concentrate 3

Slope 2o

5,00

Tailing 2
7,28

42,02
10,55
Middling

1,93
0,70

17,35 21,78
18,97

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

Feeding

100

15,91
100

+53m to
Shaking Table
18,14
55
100
Concentrate 1
8,55
49,96
23,54

Desliming
(53m)

-53m to
MGS
13,19
45
100

Slope 2o
Middling
Slope 2o

Concentrate 2
8,93
48,47
23,87

Tailing 1
6,06
34,54
11,54

Slope 2o

22,22
Middling 2 26,94
33,00

Tailing 2
21,05
6,94
8,05

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

The concentrates over 48% Cr2O3 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% Cr2O3 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

189

100

Feeding

13,19
100

Tailing 1
38,44

MGS 270 rpm

3,10
9,04

Tailing 2
MGS 230 rpm
Concentrate
21,19
44,78
71,94

12,36

2,12

1,99
Tailing 3

MGS 200 rpm

16,10

4,02
4,91

Middling

11,91

13,44
12,14

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).
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