Advanced Jigging Separation

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Objective(s): Develop improved methods for jig separation that can separate minerals of very similar densities.

Justification: The jig separator is a high-throughput, low-cost, highly reliable device for separating valuable minerals from gangue. However, as currently implemented, jigs are not as efficient as heavy-media separators. In many industries, a more efficient jig would significantly reduce processing costs.

Description of Proposed Work: An advanced laboratory jig has been constructed. Its first application is a very difficult separation of apatite from dolomite, which have very similar densities. Results to date indicate that the jig can separate minerals based on very small density differences. This will be applicable to processing many ironmaking feedstocks that liberate at a coarse size, including ore preconcentration, flux-stone processing, coal preparation, and waste reprocessing.

GRADUATE STUDENT: Justin Carlson