Mineralogical Investigations and Physical Upgrading of Abu Rusheid cataclastic rocks, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

An economically important rare-metal mineralization is recorded in the cataclastic rocks at Wadi Abu Rusheid area, South Eastern Desert of Egypt. Radiometric measurements of the main varieties of cataclastic rocks (protomylonites, mylonites, ultramylonites) show that their equivalent thorium (eTh) content is 7560, 8660 and 6210 ppm, whereas the equivalent uranium (eU) is 2544,4170 and 790 ppm respectively. Microscopic examination, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and grain counting techniques revealed that thorite, zircon and columbite are the predominant radioactive minerals in all rock varieties , together with minor amounts of xenotime, cassiterite and sulphides. Beside these minerals, uranophane, kasolite and meta- autunite occur as inclusions in other minerals. Physical upgrading of these minerals was carried out using gravitative separation technique. Applying the proposed flowsheet, it is possible to attain a good concentrate for these minerals with an acceptable recovery. It is recommended to subject the final concentrates to hydrometallurgical treatments to extract the important metals.