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Mineralogy and technological characterization of two kaolin deposits from the Borborema Pegmatite Province, northeastern Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 August 2019

Victor Matheus Joaquim Salgado Campos Open the ORCID record for Victor Matheus Joaquim Salgado Campos [Opens in a new window] ,
Luiz Carlos Bertolino ,
Luana Caroline Silveira Nascimento ,
José Yvan Pereira Leite ,
Vitor Schwenk Brandão ,
Odivaldo Cambraia Alves  and
Job Tolentino Junior
Victor Matheus Joaquim Salgado Campos*
Affiliation:
Sector for Technological Characterization, Division for Mineral Analysis, Center for Mineral Technology, Pedro Calmon Avenue, 900 – Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil Postgraduate Program in Geology, Institute of Geology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Athos da Silveira Ramos Avenue, 274, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil Rio de Janeiro State University, São Francisco Xavier Street, 524 – Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil
Luiz Carlos Bertolino
Affiliation:
Sector for Technological Characterization, Division for Mineral Analysis, Center for Mineral Technology, Pedro Calmon Avenue, 900 – Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil Rio de Janeiro State University, São Francisco Xavier Street, 524 – Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil
Luana Caroline Silveira Nascimento
Affiliation:
Sector for Technological Characterization, Division for Mineral Analysis, Center for Mineral Technology, Pedro Calmon Avenue, 900 – Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Marquês de São Vicente Street, 225 – Gávea, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil
José Yvan Pereira Leite
Affiliation:
Mineral Technology Laboratory, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Norte, Senador Salgado Filho Avenue, 1559 – Tirol, Natal – RN, Brazil
Vitor Schwenk Brandão
Affiliation:
Sector for Technological Characterization, Division for Mineral Analysis, Center for Mineral Technology, Pedro Calmon Avenue, 900 – Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil
Odivaldo Cambraia Alves
Affiliation:
Department of Physicochemistry, Chemistry Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Outeiro de S.J. Batista Street, Niterói – RJ, Brazil
Job Tolentino Junior
Affiliation:
Sector for Technological Characterization, Division for Mineral Analysis, Center for Mineral Technology, Pedro Calmon Avenue, 900 – Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil Rio de Janeiro State University, São Francisco Xavier Street, 524 – Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil
*
*E-mail: victorsalgadocampos@ufrj.br
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Abstract

This research presents the mineralogical and chemical characterization and beneficiation study of two kaolin deposits from the Borborema Pegmatite Province, Brazil. Seven samples were collected and treated in two different beneficiation routes involving magnetic separation and chemical bleaching. The fractions obtained were studied by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, particle-size analyses, electron paramagnetic resonance and determination of optical properties. The samples are composed mainly of subhedral kaolinite in the form of booklets, as well as muscovite, quartz, microcline and illite impurities. The kaolinite structural formulae indicated significant replacement of Si4+ by Al3+ in tetrahedral sites and low replacement of Fe3+ by Al3+ in the octahedral sites. The first 30 min of chemical bleaching improved significantly the optical properties of kaolin, indicating that the process is more efficient than magnetic separation.

Keywords

beneficiationBorborema Pegmatite Provincechemical bleachingkaolinkaolinitemagnetic separation
Type
Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 54 , Issue 3 , September 2019 , pp. 283 - 291
Copyright
Copyright © Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2019 

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Footnotes

Associate Editor: J. Huertas

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