Abstract
A general study on the upgrading of mica minerals which are mainly found in pegmatite deposits was carried out for the purpose of developing a technique for recovering mica in form of comercial grade products. By the way the grade one of about 5~6% $K_2O$ still is not developed. The target of this research work is to be establish a process for the efficient concentration of muscovite, containing more than 10% $K_2O$. The tests are applied to incraese the recovery and grade of concentrates in term of variations of conditions. The test sample consists of mainly muscovite and gangue mineral such as quartz, pyrite and chlorite. Decantation and shaking table tests were ineffective to up-grade this low grade one, but flotation method gave satisfactory result. By means of grade one, but flotation method gave satisfactory result. By means of grindability tests, an optimum result could be obtained from the sample ground to -48mesh feed size. The flotation result indicates that the dodecyl ammonium chloride used as a cationic collector is effective on the negatively charged surface, while the sodium dodecyl sulfate as an anionic collector is effective on the positively charged surface. Muscovite was floated by petroleum sulfonate as well as amine type collector, it also floated by MIBC as well as pine oil frother under well condition. Fine muscovite concentrates of about 10.68% $K_2O$ was obtained with 22.4% yield, by decantation, the muscovite concentrates of 10.10% $K_2O$ was obtained with 23.54% yield, by table concentration, the muscovite concentrates of 11.51% $K_2O$ was obtained with 23.0% yield by flotation.