Primary beneficiation of tantalite using magnetic separation and acid leaching

Primary beneficiation was successfully performed prior to dissolution of manganotantalite (sample A) and ferrotantalite (sample C) samples obtained from two different mines in the Naquissupa area, Mozambique. Magnetic separation removed the majority of iron and titanium, whereas H2SO4 leaching removed a large portion of thorium and uranium in these samples. Analytical results indicated that 64.14wt% and 72.04wt% of the total Fe and Ti, respectively, and ∼2wt% each of Nb2O5 and Ta2O5 were removed from sample C (ferrotantalite) using the magnetic separation method, whereas only 9.64wt% and 8.66wt% of total Fe2O3 and TiO2, respectively, and ∼2wt% each of Nb2O5 and Ta2O5 were removed from sample A (manganotantalite). A temperature of 50°C and a leaching time of 3 h in the presence of concentrated H2SO4 were observed to be the most appropriate leaching conditions for removal of radioactive elements from the tantalite ores. The results obtained for sample A under these conditions indicated that 64.14wt% U3O8 and 60.77wt% ThO2 were leached into the acidic solution, along with 4.45wt% and 0.99wt% of Nb2O5 and Ta2O5, respectively.