XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 1549
to mitigate the potential environmental impact associated
with pollution from conventional vehicles (Grosjean et
al., 2012). Moreover, lithium-ion battery is anticipated to
serve as a storage solution for power generated from renew-
able sources like solar and wind power (Scrosati &Garche,
2010). Nevertheless, most of the world’s energy still relies
on fossil fuels, linked to greenhouse gas emissions and cli-
mate change issues, as well as concerns about reserve deple-
tion, insecurity, and political instability in oil-producing
countries (Greim et al., 2020 Grosjean et al., 2012).
Lithium has showcased a significant role in green
energy storage technologies, emerging as a crucial metal to
combat the negative impacts of fossil fuel use and establish
a sustainable green energy source for future generations.
As of 2022, the global end-use markets were estimated as
follows: batteries (80%), ceramics and glass (7%), lubri-
cating greases (4%), continuous casting mould flux pow-
ders (2%), air treatment (1%), medical (1%), and other
uses (5%) (U.S.G.S., 2023). Australia alone contributed
to 46.36% of the global lithium production making it
the largest producer with its resources mainly hard-rock,
pegmatite-hosted lithium resources primarily located in
Western Australia (Tabelin et al., 2021). While brine-based
resources dominate due to lower production costs, the
comparatively higher lithium concentration in pegmatites
compared to brines compensates the processing expendi-
tures (Sahoo et al., 2022). The balance between processing
costs and lithium grade indicates that both mining pegma-
tites and extracting lithium from brine deposits are viable
options (Meshram et al., 2014). Meeting the increasing
demand for lithium, necessitates the extraction of lithium
from lithium-bearing minerals.
The recent rise in battery demand, coupled with pro-
jected continued growth, underscores the need for other
countries to develop their lithium mineral resources to
economically viable industry to increase supply rate. Until
recently, Africa specifically West Africa has been identified
as potential lithium producer. This stems from the discov-
ery of spodumene pegmatite resources (Atlantic Lithium
Limited, 2023).
Recourse to literature shows that considerable research
has been conducted in effort to recover lithium from spod-
umene using existing beneficiation methods such as dense
media separation, flotation, magnetic separation, and grav-
ity separation. However, little or no such investigations
have been conducted on the West Africa pegmatite ore.
This study forms part of ongoing investigation to assess
the feasibility of recovering lithium from a West African
pegmatite ore. To this end the specific aim of this research is
to establish the chemical and mineralogical characteristics
of the pegmatite ore through the application of analyti-
cal techniques such as Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass
Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Quantitative Evaluation of
Minerals by Scanning Microscopy (QEMSCAN), and
X-ray diffraction (XRD). The findings were used as the
basis to deploy preliminary flotation and gravity separa-
tion as the potential beneficiation techniques to recover the
lithium bearing minerals.
EXPERIMENTAL
Materials
A crushed composite sample of pegmatite ore (~15 kg) was
used in the present study. The ore sample was blended and
riffled to produce 1 kg charges, of which one charge was
further split to produce representative sub-samples (100 g)
for head grade and particle size analysis.
Chemical Composition
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)
was conducted on representative samples to identify the
distribution of elemental species to aid in mineral-phase
identification. An aliquot of each sample was accurately
weighed and fused with lithium metaborate at high tem-
perature in platinum (Pt) crucible. The fused glass was then
digested in nitric acid to ensure complete mineral dissolu-
tion before analysis. The information obtained is crucial in
determining the head chemical assay of the ore.
Particle Size Analysis
Two subsample (2 × 1 kg) charges were further riffled to
obtain about 2 × 500 g fractions, which were subsequently
dry screened for about 10 min. The screens were arranged
in the order 2.4, 1.2, 0.6, 0.3-, and 0.15-mm. Materials
retained on the individual screens were weighed and repre-
sentative samples taken for both chemical and mineralogi-
cal analyses.
Mineralogical Analyses
Two forms of mineralogical analyses were employed in
this study: Quantitative X-ray diffraction (QXRD) and
Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals by Scanning Electron
Microscopy (QEMSCAN) analyses.
Quantitative X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Analysis
Powder X-ray diffraction is a non-destructive method for
determining mineralogy. The X-rays interact with the atoms
in the crystalline phases in a sample. This occurs through
a process called ‘diffraction,’ where the X-rays interact with
the regular array of atoms that are present in crystalline
materials. A representative sub sample was taken from the
to mitigate the potential environmental impact associated
with pollution from conventional vehicles (Grosjean et
al., 2012). Moreover, lithium-ion battery is anticipated to
serve as a storage solution for power generated from renew-
able sources like solar and wind power (Scrosati &Garche,
2010). Nevertheless, most of the world’s energy still relies
on fossil fuels, linked to greenhouse gas emissions and cli-
mate change issues, as well as concerns about reserve deple-
tion, insecurity, and political instability in oil-producing
countries (Greim et al., 2020 Grosjean et al., 2012).
Lithium has showcased a significant role in green
energy storage technologies, emerging as a crucial metal to
combat the negative impacts of fossil fuel use and establish
a sustainable green energy source for future generations.
As of 2022, the global end-use markets were estimated as
follows: batteries (80%), ceramics and glass (7%), lubri-
cating greases (4%), continuous casting mould flux pow-
ders (2%), air treatment (1%), medical (1%), and other
uses (5%) (U.S.G.S., 2023). Australia alone contributed
to 46.36% of the global lithium production making it
the largest producer with its resources mainly hard-rock,
pegmatite-hosted lithium resources primarily located in
Western Australia (Tabelin et al., 2021). While brine-based
resources dominate due to lower production costs, the
comparatively higher lithium concentration in pegmatites
compared to brines compensates the processing expendi-
tures (Sahoo et al., 2022). The balance between processing
costs and lithium grade indicates that both mining pegma-
tites and extracting lithium from brine deposits are viable
options (Meshram et al., 2014). Meeting the increasing
demand for lithium, necessitates the extraction of lithium
from lithium-bearing minerals.
The recent rise in battery demand, coupled with pro-
jected continued growth, underscores the need for other
countries to develop their lithium mineral resources to
economically viable industry to increase supply rate. Until
recently, Africa specifically West Africa has been identified
as potential lithium producer. This stems from the discov-
ery of spodumene pegmatite resources (Atlantic Lithium
Limited, 2023).
Recourse to literature shows that considerable research
has been conducted in effort to recover lithium from spod-
umene using existing beneficiation methods such as dense
media separation, flotation, magnetic separation, and grav-
ity separation. However, little or no such investigations
have been conducted on the West Africa pegmatite ore.
This study forms part of ongoing investigation to assess
the feasibility of recovering lithium from a West African
pegmatite ore. To this end the specific aim of this research is
to establish the chemical and mineralogical characteristics
of the pegmatite ore through the application of analyti-
cal techniques such as Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass
Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Quantitative Evaluation of
Minerals by Scanning Microscopy (QEMSCAN), and
X-ray diffraction (XRD). The findings were used as the
basis to deploy preliminary flotation and gravity separa-
tion as the potential beneficiation techniques to recover the
lithium bearing minerals.
EXPERIMENTAL
Materials
A crushed composite sample of pegmatite ore (~15 kg) was
used in the present study. The ore sample was blended and
riffled to produce 1 kg charges, of which one charge was
further split to produce representative sub-samples (100 g)
for head grade and particle size analysis.
Chemical Composition
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)
was conducted on representative samples to identify the
distribution of elemental species to aid in mineral-phase
identification. An aliquot of each sample was accurately
weighed and fused with lithium metaborate at high tem-
perature in platinum (Pt) crucible. The fused glass was then
digested in nitric acid to ensure complete mineral dissolu-
tion before analysis. The information obtained is crucial in
determining the head chemical assay of the ore.
Particle Size Analysis
Two subsample (2 × 1 kg) charges were further riffled to
obtain about 2 × 500 g fractions, which were subsequently
dry screened for about 10 min. The screens were arranged
in the order 2.4, 1.2, 0.6, 0.3-, and 0.15-mm. Materials
retained on the individual screens were weighed and repre-
sentative samples taken for both chemical and mineralogi-
cal analyses.
Mineralogical Analyses
Two forms of mineralogical analyses were employed in
this study: Quantitative X-ray diffraction (QXRD) and
Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals by Scanning Electron
Microscopy (QEMSCAN) analyses.
Quantitative X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Analysis
Powder X-ray diffraction is a non-destructive method for
determining mineralogy. The X-rays interact with the atoms
in the crystalline phases in a sample. This occurs through
a process called ‘diffraction,’ where the X-rays interact with
the regular array of atoms that are present in crystalline
materials. A representative sub sample was taken from the