Title: Fergusonite-(Y) beneficiation from mineralised granitic dykes at Wadi Ra's Abdah Area, North Eastern Desert, Egypt

Authors: Ali A. Omran; Mona M. Fawzy

Addresses: Nuclear Materials Authority, P.O. Box 530 El Maadi, Cairo, Egypt ' Nuclear Materials Authority, P.O. Box 530 El Maadi, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract: Syenogranite rocks occurred as offshoot and dyke like bodies occupied the western part of Wadi Ra's Abdah area at the North Eastern Desert of Egypt. They enriched in rare metal-rare earth mineral [fergusonite-(Y)], radioactive minerals (thorite and uranothorite) as well as a large group of iron oxide mineralisation (magnetite, hematite, and pyrophanite). The present study aims to apply series of mineral beneficiation techniques to concentrate and separate fergusonite-(Y) from the head sample as well as raising the grade of the associated valuable minerals as byproducts. The mineralogical, chemical, and radioactive characterisation for Ra's Abdah syenogranitic sample was conducted via optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and gamma-ray spectrometric analysis with sodium iodine detector. While the physico-chemical beneficiation techniques for fergusonite-(Y) separation was carried out using wet gravity, magnetic, and froth flotation separation techniques. By applying the optimum conditions of separation, a good concentrate with an acceptable recovery was obtained.

Keywords: Ra's Abdah syenogranitic dykes; fergusonite-(Y); gravity; magnetic; froth flotation; Egypt.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2022.129529

International Journal of Mining and Mineral Engineering, 2022 Vol.13 No.3, pp.256 - 275

Received: 13 Apr 2022
Accepted: 29 Nov 2022
Published online: 13 Mar 2023 *

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