Gravity Separation & Concentration Methods

Gravity Separation & Concentration Methods

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COLTAN (3 replies)

R
ramoah
7 years ago
ramoah 7 years ago

I have recently come across a small deposit of COLTAN in Africa. I am looking to start a small scale processing plant to produce a concentrate and then separate the tantalite from the Niobium. Can anybody  point me in the right direction. Where can I have find comprehensive information on processing of Coltan.

 

 

Treve Mildren
7 years ago
Treve Mildren 7 years ago
In Africa you will only be allowed to upgrade Coltan to a saleable grade using whatever method you choose but most common would be Gravity Concentration.
 
You would not be allowed to refine Tantalum and Niobium in Africa as it involves chemicals which are not permissible anywhere in the regions Coltan is found, as far as I know.
 
So you best bet by far would be to simply upgrade the Coltan locally and then take that to market. But please also be aware that the local population often depend on small scale artisanal mining as their only source of income and industrialisation can easily upset this fine balance. The Coltan can be upgraded locally by gravity methods but this must be very carefully done as there are a lot of people on the breadline in Africa doing it by hand panning etc and it's important that we don't leave these people without income.
U
ussupply
6 years ago
ussupply 6 years ago

Hello Ramoah,
Have you had any success in locating a processing plant for your Coltan in Africa?.
Thanks Derek

a
nkotb
5 years ago
nkotb 5 years ago

on this topic, is there anybody with resource on setting up a small scale benefication for tantalite?.

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