Magnetation (iron ore)
Encyclopedia
Magnetation is a term referring to the processing of iron ore tailings, the waste
product of iron ore mines, to recover hematite
. Crushed mine tailings are mixed with water to create a slurry
; the slurry is then pumped through magnetic separation chambers to extract hematite. Commercial interest in this process stems from the possibility of extracting additional iron
from tailings supplied by existing mines, increasing their yield.
Waste
Waste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...
product of iron ore mines, to recover hematite
Hematite
Hematite, also spelled as haematite, is the mineral form of iron oxide , one of several iron oxides. Hematite crystallizes in the rhombohedral system, and it has the same crystal structure as ilmenite and corundum...
. Crushed mine tailings are mixed with water to create a slurry
Slurry
A slurry is, in general, a thick suspension of solids in a liquid.-Examples of slurries:Examples of slurries include:* Lahars* A mixture of water and cement to form concrete* A mixture of water, gelling agent, and oxidizers used as an explosive...
; the slurry is then pumped through magnetic separation chambers to extract hematite. Commercial interest in this process stems from the possibility of extracting additional iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
from tailings supplied by existing mines, increasing their yield.