ABSTRACT
In this work, the characterization and beneficiation of Zurak lead-zinc ore deposit was carried out. The sample of the ore was sourced from Zurak village in Plateau state. The sourced sample was crushed and pulverized using laboratory jaw crusher and pulverizing machines. The pulverized sample was characterized to determine its chemical and mineralogical compositions, liberation size, work index and beneficiated to metallurgical grade using the most suitable concentration method adopted for the ore. The result of the chemical analysis of the ore using X-ray fluorescence revealed that the run-of-mine ore contained 6.33%Pb and 4.65%Zn on the average, which meets the typical standard feed grades of 1 - 5%Pb and 1 - 10%Zn usually required for mining lead-zinc ore. The mineralogical analysis using X-ray diffraction technique revealed that the ore contained 7.11% galena (PbS) and 7.51% sphalerite (ZnS) as the major valuable minerals; 3.04% magnetite (Fe3O4), 1.5% rutile (TiO2) as minor minerals; and 65.65% quartz (SiO2) as the main gangue. The liberation size of the ore was found to be -90 +63μm and work index of the ore was determined as 11.41kWh/tone using the Bond modified method. Froth flotation method was adopted for the beneficiation of the ore and two batches of tests were conducted on the ore. For the first batch of the test, -90 +63μm was used, lead and zinc concentrates assaying 63.02%Pb and 57.92%Zn with recoveries of 93.41% and 76.08% were obtained, while for the second batch -180 +125μm was used and lead and zinc concentrates assaying 55.79%Pb and 30.25%Zn with recoveries of 70.29% and 52.38% were obtained respectively. Based on the results obtained from the tests conducted, Sullivan concentrator of Cominco Ltd, British Columbia flowsheet was adopted and modified as the conceptual flow-sheet for the beneficiation of the Zurak lead-zinc ore. It was therefore concluded that froth flotation is the most suitable method of beneficiating the Zurak lead-zinc ore deposit at a liberation size of -90 +63μm.