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An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals
The Bushveld complex is the largest ore body in the world hosting platinum group elements (PGEs). It is a stratified orebody with three major reefs namely, the Merensky reef, UG2 reef and the Platreef. Platinum and palladium are the most abundant PGEs found in the Bushveld complex. They occur in the...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Centre for Minerals Research
2015
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| _version_ | 1867613170803146752 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Tadie, Margreth |
| author2 | Corin, Kirsten |
| author_browse | Corin, Kirsten Tadie, Margreth |
| author_facet | Corin, Kirsten Tadie, Margreth |
| author_sort | Tadie, Margreth |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | The Bushveld complex is the largest ore body in the world hosting platinum group elements (PGEs). It is a stratified orebody with three major reefs namely, the Merensky reef, UG2 reef and the Platreef. Platinum and palladium are the most abundant PGEs found in the Bushveld complex. They occur in the form of minerals/mineral phases with elements such as sulphur, tellurium, arsenic and iron. These minerals/mineral phases are associated with base metal sulphides occuring along grain boundaries. Unlike the Merensky and UG2 reef, the Platreef is almost barren of PGE sulphides and the distribution of base metals sulphides and their association with PGMs is erratic. Froth flotation targeted at the recovery of base metal sulphides is implemented in PGM concentrators to concentrate PGMs. Flotation of sulphide minerals is achieved with the use of thiol collectors to create hydrophobicity, and copper sulphate is often used to improve hydrophobicity and therefore recovery. Sodium ethyl xanthate (SEX) and sodium diethyl dithiophosphate (DTP) are commonly used as collectors on PGM concentrators. The erratic mineral variations in the Platreef ore, however, raise the question of the effectiveness of the application of sulphide mineral flotation techniques on this ore. Previous work by Shackleton, (2007) investigated the flotation of PGE tellurides, sulphides and arsenides. The study highlighted that the mechanisms with which these minerals interact with collectors and with copper sulphate was poorly understood. It is as a result of the findings of Shackleton's work that this study aims to elucidate the fundamental interactions of telluride and sulphide PGMs with thiol collectors and with copper sulphate. Subsequently this work also aims to compare the behaviour of these reagents on sulphide PGMs and telluride PGMs. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/15748 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:31:53.390Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publishDateRange | 2015 |
| publishDateSort | 2015 |
| publisher | Centre for Minerals Research |
| publisherStr | Centre for Minerals Research |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/15748 An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals Tadie, Margreth Corin, Kirsten Wiese, Jenny Minerals Research The Bushveld complex is the largest ore body in the world hosting platinum group elements (PGEs). It is a stratified orebody with three major reefs namely, the Merensky reef, UG2 reef and the Platreef. Platinum and palladium are the most abundant PGEs found in the Bushveld complex. They occur in the form of minerals/mineral phases with elements such as sulphur, tellurium, arsenic and iron. These minerals/mineral phases are associated with base metal sulphides occuring along grain boundaries. Unlike the Merensky and UG2 reef, the Platreef is almost barren of PGE sulphides and the distribution of base metals sulphides and their association with PGMs is erratic. Froth flotation targeted at the recovery of base metal sulphides is implemented in PGM concentrators to concentrate PGMs. Flotation of sulphide minerals is achieved with the use of thiol collectors to create hydrophobicity, and copper sulphate is often used to improve hydrophobicity and therefore recovery. Sodium ethyl xanthate (SEX) and sodium diethyl dithiophosphate (DTP) are commonly used as collectors on PGM concentrators. The erratic mineral variations in the Platreef ore, however, raise the question of the effectiveness of the application of sulphide mineral flotation techniques on this ore. Previous work by Shackleton, (2007) investigated the flotation of PGE tellurides, sulphides and arsenides. The study highlighted that the mechanisms with which these minerals interact with collectors and with copper sulphate was poorly understood. It is as a result of the findings of Shackleton's work that this study aims to elucidate the fundamental interactions of telluride and sulphide PGMs with thiol collectors and with copper sulphate. Subsequently this work also aims to compare the behaviour of these reagents on sulphide PGMs and telluride PGMs. 2015-12-09T14:48:19Z 2015-12-09T14:48:19Z 2015 Doctoral Thesis Doctoral PhD http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15748 eng application/pdf Centre for Minerals Research Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Minerals Research Tadie, Margreth An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals |
| thesis_degree_str | Doctoral |
| title | An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals |
| title_full | An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals |
| title_fullStr | An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals |
| title_full_unstemmed | An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals |
| title_short | An electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals |
| title_sort | electrochemical investigation of platinum group minerals |
| topic | Minerals Research |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15748 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tadiemargreth anelectrochemicalinvestigationofplatinumgroupminerals AT tadiemargreth electrochemicalinvestigationofplatinumgroupminerals |