Mechanical activation of talc in high-energy speed rotary mechanoactivator

This paper presents the results of research on mechanical activation of raw talc in a high-energy speed rotary mechanoactivator. The results of research on effect of mechanically activated talc on the degree of recovery Fe2O3 by hydrometallurgical method are also presented. The process and mechanism of mechanical activation in this type of mechanoactivator were achieved by impact. The variable parameters of the mechanoactivator operation were: rate of rotor revolutions (n0 = 10,000 and n0 = 20,000 rpm), circle sieve mesh (80, 120, 200 and 500 μm) and the current intensity. The following parameters of the dry mechanical activation process were studied: mechanical activation time, rotor speed, mechanoactivator capacity and specific energy consumption. The mechanically activated powder was examined by application of differential thermal and thermogravimetric analyses, analysis of the degree of mechanical activation and the specific surface area as well. According to the obtained results, the highest rate of mechanical activation was obtained with a nominal mechanoactivator load. The degree of mechanical activation increases with increasing the rate of rotor revolution, circle sieve mesh size and with the increasing mechanoactivator load. It was shown that high-grade talc concentrate with low content of Fe2O3 can be obtained by physical-chemical process. A new approach for obtaining high-grade talc concentrate was achieved trough mechanically activated talc effect on the degree of recovery of Fe2O3 by hydrometallurgical process.