Browsing by Author "Berhanu Adugna"

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    Investigating the Potential of the Magnetic Separation Method as an Auxiliary Technique for Upgrading Lithium Ore Mineral from Kenticha Pegmatite Deposit in Guji, Southern Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2023-06) Berhanu Adugna; Sisay Degu(PhD)
    Lithium has become a critical mineral in the energy industry, with significant increases in usage due to the global shift towards green energy alternatives over the past decade. The Kenticha pegmatite deposit in Ethiopia is known to have a feasible content of Li2O, making it a potentially valuable resource for lithium extraction. However, the beneficiation of lithium-bearing minerals is a crucial stage in upgrading the lithium oxide content of the ore and enhancing its economic value. The presence of gangue minerals such as microcline, albite, quartz, muscovite, and iron silicate minerals can complicate the process. Frantz magnetic separators were employed to conduct magnetic separation tests. Samples were collected from four different locations within an upper lithium-rich pegmatite deposit and subjected to analysis, revealing varying percentages of lithium oxide and iron oxide. The effectiveness of a Frantz magnetic separator was examined using feed size fraction and intensity as independent variables, with various combinations of factors tested. The resulting data was analyzed using AAS and XRD techniques to gain valuable information about the separation process and lithium mineral liberation. The separation effectiveness was evaluated based on the results, which indicated that high-intensity magnetic experiments with fine feed size fractions achieved better recovery of lithium oxide and less iron-bearing minerals. The potential for using the magnetic separator as part of a larger processing plant was also discussed, with comparisons magnetic separation method to other conventional lithium processing methods that employed magnetic separation. Finally, potential types of magnetic separators were suggested for the LCT Kenticha pegmatite deposit.