Determination of Bond index of Birnin- Gwari Iron Ore in Nigeria

K.J. Olatunji, A.G. Durojaiye

Mineral Resources Engineering Department, Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Nigeria.

DOI: 10.4236/jmmce.2010.97045                

Abstract

Bond index is useful in designing of grinding system in mineral processing. In this study, the Bond work index of Birnin- Gwari iron ore in northern Nigeria is determined using modified Bond’s method using ‘reference ore’. Samples of iron ore were sourced using random method, reference minerals; marble and granite of known weight and iron ore of known weight were ground using the laboratory ball mill grinding machine. 80% passing size for the iron ore marble and granite samples were obtained at 100μm sieve size for the feeds and products. The work index of reference minerals; marble and granite were used to calculate the work index of iron ore. The value of 28.66 Kwh/short ton and 24.92 Kwh/short ton were obtained. The value of 20.39 Kwh/short ton was selected as it is within the range indicated by previous research work on iron ore in Nigeria.

Keywords

Bond index, Birnin-Gwari iron ore, modified, reference minerals, mineral processing.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Battey M.H (1981): Mineralogy for Students, Longman Inc., New York, pp 91, 159-263.
[2]	Berry T.F and Bruce R.W (1966): A simple method of determining the grindability of ores, Canadian Mining Journal (July).
[3]	Bond F.C (1952), The third law of communition, Trans AIME 193.
[4]	Geological Survey of Nigeria (1980): The Geology of Part of South Western Nigeria Bulletin No 31 Vol 26. pp.1-47.
[5]	Magdalimovic N.M (1989): Calculation of energy required for grinding in a ball mill, Journal of Mineral Processing 25, (Jan) 41.
[6]	One mine (2010): Summary and Determination of the Bond Work index using an ordinary Laboratory Batch Ball mill,http;//www.onemine.org/search/summary.cmf
[7]	Thomas D.G (2002): Beneficiation of the Totomuro Iron Ore Deposit, M.Sc Thesis, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, A.B.U, Zaria (unpublished).
[8]	Weiss N.L (1985): Mineral Processing handbook by American Institute of Mining, Metalurgical and Petroleum Enginering Incorporated, Kingsport Press,New York.