Applied mineralogy as a tool for mine planning of phosphate rock.

The Cajati mine in Brazil exploits a low-grade ore from the Jacupiranga carbonatite, containing 5% P2O5 along with carbonates, calcite and dolomite plus variable amounts of magnetite and accessory minerals. A knowledge of the variation in ore composition along the orebody is needed for mine operation and flotation plant optimisation. A procedure of standard laboratory tests supported by chemical and mineralogical analysis has been developed to obtain parameters of milling behaviour, mineralogical composition, degree of liberation and expected flotation response. This procedure is being applied to different-sized samples from mine bench faces as well as to drill core samples, in order to achieve a technological model of the orebody for use in optimising mine planning.
The Cajati mine in Brazil exploits a low-grade ore from the Jacupiranga carbonatite, containing 5% P2O5 along with carbonates, calcite and dolomite plus variable amounts of magnetite and accessory minerals. A knowledge of the variation in ore composition along the orebody is needed for mine operation and flotation plant optimisation. A procedure of standard laboratory tests supported by chemical and mineralogical analysis has been developed to obtain parameters of milling behaviour, mineralogical composition, degree of liberation and expected flotation response. This procedure is being applied to different-sized samples from mine bench faces as well as to drill core samples, in order to achieve a technological model of the orebody for use in optimising mine planning.