Pilot plant program on Churchill River Project
Pilot plant operation was designed to test sands from eleven bulk sample sites to determine the recoveries and assays of saleable concentrates. The non magnetic titanium bearing concentrates were separated for laboratory test to perfect the process for concentrating other minerals such as garnet, titanium and zirconium bearing minerals. An Eriez wet low intensity magnetic separator was added to the pilot plant operation during January 2006. Its purpose is to provide more capacity and greater efficiency in separating iron rich magnetite product from the heavy mineral concentrate stream from the spiral separator. The new, magnetic separator is producing about 30% more magnetite, of higher grade. |
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Spiral concentrator in operation. Dark heavy mineral band is clearly visible in the inner part of the spiral . |
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Eriez wet low intensity magnet in operation. Large volume of black magnetic iron ore coming from drum. It is of excellent quality, with no significant gangue minerals present.
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Following is a table of XRF assays of processed samples. |
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TiO2 % |
Fe |
73151 |
0.2 |
63.13 |
73155 |
0.2 |
63.97 |
73153 |
0.4 |
64.53 |
73172 |
0 |
64.81 |
73209 |
0.2 |
65.23 |
sample 1 |
0 |
65.86 |
73201 |
0 |
66.07 |
| AVERAGE |
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65.1 |
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Note that the premium fine iron ores on the global market must have 63% Fe and less then 2% TiO2. Excellent grade of magnetic iron ore is being produced, which is the most important sales factor. |
Zircon Fraction in Non-Magnetic (Ti rich) concentrate
Analysis using a petrographic microscope indicate initial estimate of 1-2% percent zircon. While this fraction is not a large component of the overall feed, their high value makes them potentially a valuable contribution the overall economics of the project.
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