The comparative beneficiation studies of Granet deposits from a few selected areas of Iran

The occurrences of huge reserves of garnet deposits have been reported from different parts of Iran, specially, those of Kohe-E-Gabri (Sample No.1), Zaman Abad (sample No.2) and Sangbast (sample No.3) areas which are naturally very rich (except Sangbast area) in nature. The ore of these deposits can not be directly used as abrasives, filter aids and many others because of some impurities present. To know the mineralogical composition, type of garnet, shape of the particles, chemical character and the mesh of grind which plays a vital role in finding out suitable flowsheet design, these samples have been subjected to detailed mineralogical and microscopic studies, sieve analysis, liberation studies and chemical analysis. The results obtained show that, the type of garnet in sample No.1 is Anderadite with grade of 75% which most of its particles are edged rather than rounded where as in sample No.2 and 3 the type of garnet is Almandine with grade of 45% and 8% respectively. In sample No.1 quartz, calcite, wollastonite, magnetite and hematite are the main impurities present in order of abundance and liberation studies showed that optimum mesh of grind is 600 microns, while quartz, calcite, wollastonite, and alusite, muscovite, biotite and feldspar are the impurities present in sample No.2 with no liberation problem. In sample No.3 quartz, muscovite, chlorite, feldspar, tremolite, calcite and are the impurities per sent and particles are free from each other, blew 2000 microns. Based on the characterization studies carried out on these three samples it was suggested that the gravity and magnetic methods would be the suitable separation techniques for sample No.1 with overall recovery of 87% and more than 95% grade of garnet, and sample No.2 with overall recovery of 87.61% and 91.23% garnet grade, while no beneficiation technique was suggested for sample No.3 because of the garnet content which is very lower than the cutoff grade (20%)