The effect of phyllosilicate minerals on mineral processing industry

• Phyllosilicates have potential to significantly affect mineral processing operation.
• Understanding ore geology and mineralogy is critical to optimise its beneficiation.
• The presence of phyllosilicates influences the processing plant design.
• More research on the effect of phyllosilicates on mineral processing is required.

The increased exposure to low grade ores has highlighted the importance of understanding phyllosilicate gangue mineralogy. These minerals exist as common gangue minerals and have been shown to present challenges during ore beneficiation, with issues arising throughout the processing circuit. Nonetheless, the industry's understanding of the issues and solutions related to these minerals remains poor; a likely result of the gap between mineral processing and mineralogy. This paper gives a comprehensive description of the phyllosilicate group; classifying the minerals according to variations in structure. The typical problems encountered with these minerals are discussed, with specific reference to industrial operations. The current practices being used to mitigate the effects of phyllosilicate minerals are also reviewed. This paper provides a better understanding of the effect of phyllosilicate minerals on mineral processing.

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