The I\,Iagnetic Separation of Soi'ie Alluvial I,Iinerals in I'ialaya*
THE AMERICAN MINERAI,OGIST, VOL. 41, JULY AUGUST, 1959 THE I\,IAGNETIC SEPARATION OF SOI'IE ALLUVIAL I,IINERALS IN I'IALAYA* B. H. FnNrant, Minerals Eramination Diaision, GeologicalSurttey D epartment, F'ederotion of M al,aya. Assrnlcr This paper presents the results of a seriesof magnetic separationswhich have been in- vestigated {or a number of minerals occurring in X{alayan alluvial concentrates.The pur- pose of the investigations was to establish,by the isolation of individual mineral species,a reproducible and reliable method for the identification and quantitative estimation of minerals in alluvial concentrates examined by the Geological Survey in Malaya In par- ticular was sought the isolation of columbite from ubiquitous ilmenite. All the separations were made on the small, highly sensitive Frantz Isodynamic Model L-1 laboratory separa- tor, The minerals which have been successfully separated include ailanite, anatase, andalu- site (and chiastolite), arsenopyrite, brookite, cassiterite,columbite, epidote, gahnite, garnet (pink), ilmenite, manganeseoxide (51.6/e Mn), monazite, pyrite, rutile, scheelite,siderite, staurolite, thorite, topaz, tourmaline, uranoan monazite, wolframite, xenotime, and zircon. PnocBpunp When using an inclined feed, the Frantz Isodynamic separator (see Figs. 1(A) & (B)) hasthree inherent variables. These are the field strengLh (current used),the sideslope, and the forward slope. 5;6s $lope wdrd 511)Pe (A) (B) Irc. 1. Diagrammatic representation of side slope and forward slope. The field strength is increasedby means of a rheostat which raises the current from zero in stagesof 0.05 amps. to 1.4 amps. Early in the investigationsit was decidedthat stepsof 0.1 amp. would be sufficiently gradual.
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