Application of SAP to Improve the Handling Properties of Iron Ore Tailings of High Cohesiveness: Could a Reagent Help the Decommissioning Process of a Dam?
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Iron Ore Tailings (IOT) and Superabsorbent Polymer (SAP)
2.2. IOT and SAP Mixing
3. Hausner Ratio and Carr Compressibility Index
4. Uniaxial Compression Test
5. Atterberg Limits
6. Chute Angle
7. Results and Discussion
8. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Ore | How It Was Used | Key Observations | Reference |
---|---|---|---|
Coal fines | Direct method | It was possible to dewater fine coal from a moisture content of 29.4% to 12–14% using a pH-sensitive SAP (2 wt.%) within a 4 h contact time. | Dzinomwa et al. (1997) [8] |
Coal slurry | Indirect method (in sachets) | Different coal moisture levels and SAP dosages were applied. Under one condition, e.g., the moisture content of the coal slurry dropped from 30% to 7% with an SAP dosage of 2 wt.%. Thermal and pH-induced regeneration procedures were investigated. The methods can be effective, but they still present economic and technical issues to be addressed. | Peer and Venter (2003) [9] |
Tailings from oil sand (<0.1 mm) | Direct and indirect method (in sachets) | Rapid and significant dewatering, as well as an increase in the undrained shear strength and solid content of mature fine tailings, can be achieved using SAP dewatering and densification methods (direct or indirect). Better performance with regard to dewatering and an increase in strength are obtained with the indirect method. The SAP dosages applied varied from 1 to 3 wt.%, with a contact time on the order of days. | Farkish and Fall (2013) [10] |
Three types of low-grade nickel laterite (<0.1 mm) | Both direct addition mode and sealed in a water permeable polyester bag | The direct addition method was not successful due to the attachment of the laterite particles to the surface of the swollen SAP granules and the retrieval of water from the superabsorbent hydrogel. The SAP provided a favourable dewatering. The best performance was achieved at dosages of 2% to 3% within an 8 h contact time. | Joseph-Soly et al. (2016) [11] |
Mine tailings (<0.3 mm) | Both direct addition mode and in geotextile bags | The preliminary results showed that an SAP volume dosage of 10 to 13 kg m−3 of slurry resulted in a final solids mass concentration (Cw%_final) ≥ 70%. The occurrence of a gel-blocking phenomenon was observed. | Sahi et al. (2019) [12] |
Iron ore (<1 mm) | Direct addition mode | Flow function curves for 12% moisture iron ore showed the change in the flow regime from cohesive to easy flow in the presence of the SAP. A dosage of 100 g ton−1 and retention time of 30 min were obtained and incorporated during plant trials. | Srikakulapu et al. (2020) [13] |
Lump iron ore (<40 mm) | Direct addition mode | Iron ore changed its flow behaviour from the poor flow to the easy flow regime with SAP dosages of 1200 g t−1, 1400 g t−1, and 1800 g t−1 for moisture contents of 8%, 10%, and 12%, respectively. A 40% increase in production was achieved during trials and a 24% increase in long-term implementation of SAP during monsoons by improving the fluidity of LD iron ore. | Srikakulapu et al. (2021) [14] |
Iron ore tailings | Direct addition mode | SAP was studied comparatively with quicklime as agents for water removal and compaction of iron ore tailings for dry stacking disposal. SAP did not improved the compaction properties of the IOT and lime did. | Rissoli et al. (2024) [15] |
Minerals | % (in Volume) |
---|---|
Hematite-lamellar | 53.9 |
Hematite-granular | 22.2 |
Hematite-lobular | 4.4 |
Martite | 0.4 |
Goethite | 16.0 |
Quartz | 1.5 |
Gibbsite | 1.3 |
Other | 0.3 |
Mixing Time | Bulk Density (kg m−3) | Tapped Density (kg m−3) | Hausner Ratio | Carr Index |
---|---|---|---|---|
0 (g t−1) | 1340 | 2418 | 1.80 | 44.6 |
500 (g t−1) | 1300 | 2354 | 1.81 | 44.8 |
1000 (g t−1) | 1400 | 2300 | 1.64 | 39.1 |
1500 (g t−1) | 1290 | 2197 | 1.70 | 41.3 |
SAP Dosage | Bulk Density (kg m−3) | Tapped Density (kg m−3) | Hausner Ratio | Carr Index |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 (min) | 1400 | 2300 | 1.64 | 39.1 |
5 (min) | 1380 | 2390 | 1.73 | 42.3 |
10 (min) | 1340 | 2349 | 1.75 | 43.0 |
SAP Dosage | Parameters for Determination Jenike’s Flow Function Index (ff) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
σ1 (kP) | σc (kPa) | ff | σ1 (kPA) | σc (kPa) | ff | σ1 (kPa) | σc (kPa) | ff | |
0 (g t−1) | 105 | 43.7 | 2.4 | 185 | 51.4 | 3.6 | 260 | 55.3 | 4.7 |
500 (g t−1) | 105 | 35.0 | 3.0 | 185 | 46.3 | 4.0 | 260 | 53.1 | 4.9 |
1000 (g t−1) | 105 | 31.8 | 3.3 | 185 | 36.3 | 5.1 | 260 | 44.1 | 5.9 |
1500 (g t−1) | 105 | 33.8 | 3.1 | 185 | 39.4 | 4.7 | 260 | 46.4 | 5.6 |
Mixing Time | Parameters for Determination Jenike’s Flow Function Index (ff) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
σ1 (kP) | σc (kPa) | ff | σ1 (kPA) | σc (kPa) | ff | σ1 (kPa) | σc (kPa) | ff | |
1 (min) | 105 | 31.8 | 3.3 | 185 | 36.3 | 5.1 | 260 | 44.1 | 5.9 |
5 (min) | 105 | 35.0 | 3.0 | 185 | 41.1 | 4.5 | 260 | 44.8 | 5.8 |
10 (min) | 105 | 33.9 | 3.1 | 185 | 41.1 | 4.5 | 260 | 47.3 | 5.5 |
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Gurgel, H.S.; Schneider, I.A.H. Application of SAP to Improve the Handling Properties of Iron Ore Tailings of High Cohesiveness: Could a Reagent Help the Decommissioning Process of a Dam? Mining 2024, 4, 733-746. https://doi.org/10.3390/mining4040041
Gurgel HS, Schneider IAH. Application of SAP to Improve the Handling Properties of Iron Ore Tailings of High Cohesiveness: Could a Reagent Help the Decommissioning Process of a Dam? Mining. 2024; 4(4):733-746. https://doi.org/10.3390/mining4040041
Chicago/Turabian StyleGurgel, Hely Simões, and Ivo André Homrich Schneider. 2024. "Application of SAP to Improve the Handling Properties of Iron Ore Tailings of High Cohesiveness: Could a Reagent Help the Decommissioning Process of a Dam?" Mining 4, no. 4: 733-746. https://doi.org/10.3390/mining4040041
APA StyleGurgel, H. S., & Schneider, I. A. H. (2024). Application of SAP to Improve the Handling Properties of Iron Ore Tailings of High Cohesiveness: Could a Reagent Help the Decommissioning Process of a Dam? Mining, 4(4), 733-746. https://doi.org/10.3390/mining4040041