Zekarias Gebreyes (PhD)Abdifatah Maktel Abdullahi2025-06-142025-06-142025-05https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/5555Iron (Fe) is the fourth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and constitutes approximately 6% of its composition, which is fundamental to the industrialization and civilization of any nation, including that of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The Dawa-Moyale area in the southern metamorphic terrain of Ethiopia has been recognized as a region rich in iron ore deposits. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the beneficiation potential of Dawa-Moyale iron ore in the Somali region of Ethiopia using the reverse flotation method. The study employed a two-level full factorial experimental design using Stat-Ease 360 software (Trial version) to model the influence of various experimental factors on flotation performance. The flotation experiments focused on feed particle size, pH value, and collector dosage as the independent variables, while iron grade and recovery were designed as process responses. The results of the experimental tests indicated that the models for iron grade and recovery were statistically significant, where the predicted values aligned well with the experimental results, with R-squared (R²) values of 0.972 and 0.9962 for iron grade and recovery, respectively. The findings revealed that collector dosage (oleic acid), pH value, and the interaction between particle size and collector dosage significantly influence the Fe grade, whereas feed particle size is the sole experimental factor with a statistically significant effect on iron recovery. The maximum iron grade and recovery of 46% and 94.7%, respectively, were achieved under the flotation conditions determined as follows: a particle size of -150+63μm, a collector dosage of 125g/t, and a pH of 9.5. The results of this study provide valuable insights into the beneficiation potential of Dawa-Moyale iron ore and contribute to the development of the iron ore industry of Ethiopia.en-USCollector DosageDawa-MoyaleIron OreParticle SizeReverse FlotationThesis