Study of the feasibility of valorizing phosphate ore by electrostatic separation

The object of this research is the phosphate serves, as a fundamental and crucial raw material with diverse applications, primarily utilized in producing phosphoric acid and fertilizers. However, dolomitic impurities within the ore can greatly impede its effectiveness. Therefore, it is essential to minimize these impurities to the lowest feasible levels to mitigate their adverse effects. This ensures optimal performance and quality in various industries reliant on phosphate, promoting efficiency and sustainability in the production process. Through a comprehensive assessment, it becomes feasible to gauge the enrichment potential and propose viable methods to realize it. Among these methods, flotation stands out as one of the most effective for enhancing phosphate ore, despite its inherent drawbacks of costliness and environmental impact stemming from chemical reagents.This study endeavors to investigate the feasibility of employing electrostatic separation as an alternative method for enriching phosphate ore sourced from the Tebessa region in Algeria. Such exploration aims to offer insights into potentially more sustainable and economically viable approaches to ore enrichment in the region of Bir Elater Wilaya of Tebessa. Tests were carried out using different types of electrostatic separators at the Angouleme site of the PPRIME Institute: a multifunctional metal-belt-type separator, a free-fall plate-electrodes-type separator and an electrostatic separator with coaxial wire – cylinder electrode system. The experimental findings demonstrate significant promise, indicating that electrostatic separation enhanced the P2O5 content from 25 % to 29 % in an untreated phosphate ore sample. Simultaneously, it efficiently eliminated 82.80 % of MgO, achieving a P2O5 recovery rate more than 80 % and a yield of 70 %. Consequently, employing this method proves effective in reducing the MgO content of the ore to below than 1 %, aligning with industrial standards for commercial phosphate products. This underscores the viability of electrostatic separation as a viable and efficient technique in phosphate ore processing, offering substantial improvements in both quality and yield.