1550 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
100 g sample and micro milled with ethanol as the grinding
liquid. The resultant sample was dried at 60 oC and lightly
pressed into a back-packed sample holder. The XRD trace
was collected, and mineral identification was undertaken
using the X’Pert HighScore Plus search/match software.
Rietveld quantitative analysis was performed on the XRD
data using the commercial package Highscore Plus v4.9.
QEMSCAN Analysis
Selected samples were riffled to produce representative sub-
samples of required mass and mixed with graphite to aid
in separation of the individual particles. The subsample–
graphite mixture was then mounted in an epoxy resin to
form 30 mm block. The block was then ground, polished,
and coated with carbon prior to QEMSCAN analysis. In
the present study Particle Mineral Analysis (PMA) method
of QEMSCAN measurement was used to quantify the per-
centage mineral mass abundance, average grain sizes, min-
eral association, liberation, and locking statistics data of the
phases present.
RESULTS
Bulk Chemical Composition
Preliminary chemical characterisation was carried out on
representative sample of the lithium ore and the result of the
elemental composition obtained from ICP-MS is presented
in Table 1. The lithium (Li) concentration was determined
as 0.39 wt.% accordingly, the calculated lithium oxide was
0.84 wt.%. The primary gangue elements identified in the
head sample were silicon (34.1 wt% Si), aluminium (8.93
wt.% Al), potassium (5.34 wt.% K), and sodium (2.10
wt.% Na). Other minor gangue elements identified were
iron (0.67 wt.% Fe), phosphorus (0.11 wt.% P), and cal-
cium (0.08 wt.% Ca).
Following dry screening, material retained on the indi-
vidual screens (2.4, 1.2, 0.6, 0.3, and 0.15 mm) was weighed
and samples from each size fraction were pulverized in a ring
mill for chemical/elemental analysis. The chemical compo-
sition of the sieve size fractions and calculated head of key
species in the ore are presented in Table 2 and Figure 1.
From the data presented the key gangue species including
Al and Si follow the mass yield of the ore. Furthermore,
the data in Table 2 and Figure 1 suggest that Li is mainly
concentrated within the +600–2400 µm size range which
accounted for 63% of the Li content in the ore. Specifically,
it can be deduced that 37% of the Li was concentrated in
the –2400 +1200 µm fraction at an upgrade ratio of 1.64,
whiles 26% Li was found in the –1200 +600 µm fraction
at an upgrade ratio of 1.48. Generally, lithium and gangue
species appear to be concentrated within the coarse frac-
tion. The generally similar distribution of the chemical spe-
cies suggests significant challenges during lithium bearing
minerals beneficiation, but further mineralogical data can
demonstrate the exact relationship in terms of liberation or
locking characteristics which will be more beneficial in pro-
viding detailed information in devising strategies to recover
the lithium minerals.
Table 1. Chemical composition of the head sample
Species Al Fe Si P Li Li
2 O Ca K Na Ba Cu Mn Ni S
Conc (wt. %)8.93 0.67 34.10 0.11 0.39 0.84 0.08 5.34 2.10
Conc. (ppm) 16 46 216 10 150
Table 2. Chemical composition of the head sample, sieve size fractions (mm), calculated head grade, and distribution of key
chemical species in the lithium ore
Particle size, mm Weight, %
Distribution, %
Al Fe Si Li2O Ca K Na
+2.4 6.5 5.6 6.2 5.3 4.8 4.2 7.4 6.7
–2.4 +1.2 31.4 32.6 31.0 28.1 37.3 25.7 32.3 28.3
–1.2 +0.6 24.1 25.4 24.6 23.5 25.9 21.7 23.8 22.3
–0.6 +0.3 0.9 1.2 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.0 0.9
–0.3 +0.15 25.0 28.9 25.4 25.3 22.1 26.6 23.8 26.4
–0.15 12.1 6.3 11.9 16.9 8.9 20.7 11.7 15.3
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Calc. grade 9.14 0.79 33.52 1.16 0.12 4.85 2.10
Head (assay) 8.93 0.67 34.10 0.84 0.08 5.34 2.10
100 g sample and micro milled with ethanol as the grinding
liquid. The resultant sample was dried at 60 oC and lightly
pressed into a back-packed sample holder. The XRD trace
was collected, and mineral identification was undertaken
using the X’Pert HighScore Plus search/match software.
Rietveld quantitative analysis was performed on the XRD
data using the commercial package Highscore Plus v4.9.
QEMSCAN Analysis
Selected samples were riffled to produce representative sub-
samples of required mass and mixed with graphite to aid
in separation of the individual particles. The subsample–
graphite mixture was then mounted in an epoxy resin to
form 30 mm block. The block was then ground, polished,
and coated with carbon prior to QEMSCAN analysis. In
the present study Particle Mineral Analysis (PMA) method
of QEMSCAN measurement was used to quantify the per-
centage mineral mass abundance, average grain sizes, min-
eral association, liberation, and locking statistics data of the
phases present.
RESULTS
Bulk Chemical Composition
Preliminary chemical characterisation was carried out on
representative sample of the lithium ore and the result of the
elemental composition obtained from ICP-MS is presented
in Table 1. The lithium (Li) concentration was determined
as 0.39 wt.% accordingly, the calculated lithium oxide was
0.84 wt.%. The primary gangue elements identified in the
head sample were silicon (34.1 wt% Si), aluminium (8.93
wt.% Al), potassium (5.34 wt.% K), and sodium (2.10
wt.% Na). Other minor gangue elements identified were
iron (0.67 wt.% Fe), phosphorus (0.11 wt.% P), and cal-
cium (0.08 wt.% Ca).
Following dry screening, material retained on the indi-
vidual screens (2.4, 1.2, 0.6, 0.3, and 0.15 mm) was weighed
and samples from each size fraction were pulverized in a ring
mill for chemical/elemental analysis. The chemical compo-
sition of the sieve size fractions and calculated head of key
species in the ore are presented in Table 2 and Figure 1.
From the data presented the key gangue species including
Al and Si follow the mass yield of the ore. Furthermore,
the data in Table 2 and Figure 1 suggest that Li is mainly
concentrated within the +600–2400 µm size range which
accounted for 63% of the Li content in the ore. Specifically,
it can be deduced that 37% of the Li was concentrated in
the –2400 +1200 µm fraction at an upgrade ratio of 1.64,
whiles 26% Li was found in the –1200 +600 µm fraction
at an upgrade ratio of 1.48. Generally, lithium and gangue
species appear to be concentrated within the coarse frac-
tion. The generally similar distribution of the chemical spe-
cies suggests significant challenges during lithium bearing
minerals beneficiation, but further mineralogical data can
demonstrate the exact relationship in terms of liberation or
locking characteristics which will be more beneficial in pro-
viding detailed information in devising strategies to recover
the lithium minerals.
Table 1. Chemical composition of the head sample
Species Al Fe Si P Li Li
2 O Ca K Na Ba Cu Mn Ni S
Conc (wt. %)8.93 0.67 34.10 0.11 0.39 0.84 0.08 5.34 2.10
Conc. (ppm) 16 46 216 10 150
Table 2. Chemical composition of the head sample, sieve size fractions (mm), calculated head grade, and distribution of key
chemical species in the lithium ore
Particle size, mm Weight, %
Distribution, %
Al Fe Si Li2O Ca K Na
+2.4 6.5 5.6 6.2 5.3 4.8 4.2 7.4 6.7
–2.4 +1.2 31.4 32.6 31.0 28.1 37.3 25.7 32.3 28.3
–1.2 +0.6 24.1 25.4 24.6 23.5 25.9 21.7 23.8 22.3
–0.6 +0.3 0.9 1.2 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.0 0.9
–0.3 +0.15 25.0 28.9 25.4 25.3 22.1 26.6 23.8 26.4
–0.15 12.1 6.3 11.9 16.9 8.9 20.7 11.7 15.3
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Calc. grade 9.14 0.79 33.52 1.16 0.12 4.85 2.10
Head (assay) 8.93 0.67 34.10 0.84 0.08 5.34 2.10