Controlled Reduction of Iron Content in Zirconiun Ore: A Case Study in Polyphase Mineralization, Poços de Caldas Alkaline Plateau

Abstract

In PCAC (Poços de Caldas Alkaline Complex), in southeastern Brazil, it is observed a polyphase mineralization related to Zr-, U-, Th-, Mo-, and REE-enrichment due to hydromethermal processes which affected alkaline primary rock. Primary Zr-minerals were leached and concentrated as “caldasite”, a rock composed mainly by zircon and baddeleyite in different proportions. Several techniques of mineralogical characterization were applied and results indicated zircon, baddeleyite, magnetite and iron-oxyhydroxides, mainly. Magnetic separation by WHIMS (Wet High-Intensity Magnetic Separation) was performed in order to indicate the efficiency for Fe-concentration removal for potential application in refractory industry.