The effect of phyllosilicate minerals on mineral processing industry

The increased exposure to low grade ores has highlighted the importance of understanding phyllosilicate gangue mineralogy. These minerals exist as common gangue minerals and have been shown to present challenges during ore beneficiation, with issues arising throughout the processing circuit. Nonetheless, the industry's understanding of the issues and solutions related to these minerals remains poor; a likely result of the gap between mineral processing and mineralogy. This paper gives a comprehensive description of the phyllosilicate group; classifying the minerals according to variations in structure. The typical problems encountered with these minerals are discussed, with specific reference to industrial operations. The current practices being used to mitigate the effects of phyllosilicate minerals are also reviewed. This paper provides a better understanding of the effect of phyllosilicate minerals on mineral processing. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.