Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Science - Department of Geology

This work aimed for pyrite evaluation and to study its viability to be separated from Abu Tartur pyrite-rich sediments. The samples of the present work were collected from a core drilled in 2007, by EMRA and sponsored by DanaGas© Egypt, to assess the oil shale resources of the Cretaceous/Paleogene sequence in Abu Tartur Plateau. The collected samples belong to three facies, namely; shale, carbonate and glauconite. Based on the petrographic nature, the collected core intervals were divided into five samples; two samples of shale facies (No. 1 and 5), two of carbonate facies (No. 2 and 4), and one of glauconitic facies (No. 3). Detailed characterization was carried out on the five samples using petrographic microscope, XRD, DTA/DTG, XRF, C/S, K-T and hysteresis measurements. Shale sample No. 5 was chosen to be processed using gravity separation techniques. Clay minerals, silt-sized quartz, calcite, and hematite are the main minerals associating pyrite (5.34%) and 80%, by volume, was liberated below 5æm. Processing was achieved through one-day soaking followed by classification using 1-inch Mozley hydro-cyclone where about 35.5 % by weight went to underflow and 64.5% went to overflow. The underflow product, held more than 60% of S, was subjected to an advanced gravity separation process using SB-40 Falcon Concentrator through a factorial (CCD) statistical design prepared by Design-Expert 6.0 software proposed to optimize the separation process through a study for the effects of frequency (Hz) and water pressure (Psi) on both assay and recovery of the sulfur-rich heavy fraction. A heavy concentrate weighed 10.90% with inorganic sulfur content reached 11.37% (21.24% pyrite) with overall recovery (50.01%) was obtained after two cleaning at the optimum conditions

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