Kaolinite ore not only contains the target aluminum silicate minerals, but also undesirable gangue minerals such as quartz, iron oxides, and titanium dioxide (rutile). Therefore, in order to obtain a high-purity product suitable for industrial use, the raw ore extracted from the mine must undergo various beneficiation processes. These processes generally include crushing, grinding, screening, classification, magnetic separation, packaging, and loading. However, the process flow sheet to be applied must be specifically designed based on the mineralogical and chemical characteristics of the ore and the specifications of the desired product. At BAS, we offer turnkey solutions including process design tailored to the ore, engineering services, and appropriate magnetic separation stages.
Kaolinite (Al₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄) is the main component of kaolin and may be found together with other kaolin minerals such as dickite, nacrite, and halloysite. The mode of formation and the impurities present in the ore directly affect product properties such as color, whiteness, and refractoriness, thereby determining its commercial value. In particular, iron oxide and hydroxide minerals such as hematite, goethite, and lepidocrocite can impart undesired reddish to yellowish colors even at concentrations as low as 0.4%, significantly reducing the marketability and value of the product. Therefore, the effective removal of these iron compounds is a critical step for the production of high-quality kaolin.
Magnetic separation is a widely preferred and effective method for the removal of iron-bearing impurities from kaolin. This technique is favored on an industrial scale due to its high separation efficiency, low energy consumption, low operating costs, and ease of implementation.
