Activation of enriched malatya-pütürge pyrophyllite ore for alumina production

In this study, the possibilities of the activation of Malatya-Pütürge pyrophyllite ore for alumina production by acidic leaching method were investigated. In order to increase the alumina content of the pyrophyllite ore consisting of quartz, pyrophyllite, kaolinite and muscovite with 72.92% SiO2 and 20.64% Al2O3, enrichment studies were performed with flotation and attrition-scrubbing methods. A flotation concentrate with 28.05% Al2O3 and 64.37% SiO2 content and were obtained an attrition scrubbing concentrate with 27.44% Al2O3 and 64.11% SiO2 content. Mechanical and thermal methods were used for the activation of the concentrated ores in acid solution in order to increase their solubility. Concentrated ores were intensively milled for mechanical activation for 10-60 minutes and calcined at temperatures between 800-1100 ºC for thermal activation. The activated ores were leached for 24 hours at boiling temperature with 4 M HCl to transfer the aluminum into the solution. ICP-MS, XRD and FAAS analysis methods were used to identify the solid and liquid products obtained in the experimental stages. In the thesis study, as a result of grinding of the ore enriched with attrition-scrubbing method for 60 minutes, it was taken into aluminum solution in 92.62% recovery. As a result, the effect of mechanical activation on the increase of leaching efficiency was found to be higher than thermal activation.