Beneficiation of Ilmenite from Ultramafic Lamprophyres of Mithapukur, Rangpur District of Bangladesh

In the present study, the main objective is the beneficiat ion of ilmenite fro m ultramafic lamprophyres of Mithapukur, Rangpur District of Bangladesh. Mineralogical studies performed by XRF, optical microscopy and Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA) studies indicated that ilmenite and apatite are main valuable minerals. The gangue minerals consist of the silicate minerals such as pyroxene, o livine and some secondary minerals. Ilmen ite in ult ramafic lamp rophyre ore occurs in various forms such as Ilmenite grains, exsolved Ilmenite lamellae in phlogophyte and Ilmenite particles disseminated in silicate minerals. The feasibility of physical separation has been performed for mineral beneficiat ion. The grain forms liberated in 63µm-1000µm are recoverable by physical methods. The maximu m content of TiO2 in Ilmenite lattice is determined 54.62% by EPMA. A lthough the ore has 6.37% average grade of TiO2, the recoverable TiO2 is only about 4.55%, the studied sample contained 11.10% Ilmenite and the amount of recoverable Ilmenite is only about 9.09% (4.55% TiO2). Th is is due to the Ilmenite exsolutions and inclusions in phlogophyte and silicate minerals, and the TiO2, in solid solution in the lattices of these minerals. In fact, about 81% of whole Ilmenite content of the ore will be recoverable.