Determination of Work Index of Gyel-Bukuru Columbite Ore in Plateau State, Nigeria

Oladunni Oyelola Alabi^1*, Shehu Aliyu Yaro², George Thomas Dungka², Ferdinand Asuke², Emmanuel Toi Dauda²

¹National Metallurgical Development Centre, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
²Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

DOI: 10.4236/jmmce.2015.33022                

Abstract

Determination of the work index of Gyel-Buruku columbite ore sample in Plateau state, Nigeria, was investigated. The sample of the columbite ore was sourced from Gyel village in Jos East Local Government Area of Plateau state, Nigeria. The “reference ores (granites)” samples were sourced from Jiche and Gurum villages of Plateau state respectively. The reference ores and columbite ore of known weights were ground and pulverized. 80% passing size for the columbite ore, Jiche and Gurum granites samples was obtained at 100 μm sieve size for the feeds and products respectively. The work indexes of reference ores i.e. Jiche and Gurum granites were used to calculate the work index of the Gyel columbite ore sample. The values of 3.42 kWh/ton and 2.72 kWh/ton were obtained respectively for the two different reference granites ores samples used and 3.07 kWh/ton was calculated as their average and determined as the value of the work index of the Gyel-Bukuru columbite ore sample. This work index value obtained for the Gyel-Buruku columbite ore sample lies favourably within the work indexes of 3.94 - 10.81 kWh/ton for columbite minerals sighted in the literatures.

Keywords

Work Index, Gyel Columbite Ore, Modified, Reference Minerals

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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