Analytical and magnetic characterization of the pyrite Carbothermic reduction in the presence of lime

Abstract

The Otjihase mining and processing design allows the recovery of copper in the first stage of flotation and pyrite in the second. Pyrite production was discontinued  in 2001, because of market reasons, since then  any  pyrite content of the ore, ended at tailings dam. This threatened the financial and operational performances,  while compromising environment integrity. An alternative to these challenges, was a value addition to pyrite through iron metallization for industrial applications diversification.   Carbothermic reduction of complex sulphides minerals was reported, metallization was effective and   sulphur was captured in a solid phase. Therefore this study investigated  the iron metallization degree at three stages at: 1273K, 1373K, 1473K and used ANOVA for data analysis focussing on analytical and magnetic results. The study found that sulphur was completely depleted and iron concentration reached 68.59 % at 1473K. At ion exchange sulphur was captured in solid  and  at carbo-thermic reduction increased  C/CaO increased iron concentration but reduces residual sulphur.