Optimization of the heat treatment of phosphate application to the gantour phosphate basin / Morocco.

A protocol of thermal treatment of ore phosphate for optimization of the expenditure related to the energy needed for the calcination is here presented. We have completed a comparative study of the calcination carried out in two different ways on crude phosphate. This step was applied to enrich sedimentary phosphates coming from a new site of the Gantour Basin. We have firstly optimized temperature and calcination time. Indeed, the results show that the treatment at 800 degrees C during 30 min gives a phosphate of a better concentration. It permits to decrease the organic carbon and the carbon dioxide respectively from 1.4% to 0.15% and 6.6% to 1.8% and the increase of the phosphate content from 30.39% to 34.23%. Moreover, it has been noted an impact of the cooling on the granulometric distribution. In a second time, it appeared that the procedure of calcination followed by a cooling using 33% of the same phosphate source (hot mixture), can have an important outcome on the energy saving and a gain of productivity while preserving the environment.