Feldspar Purification from Iron Impurities: A Review of Treatment Methods

Abstract

ABSTRACT A large amount of waste is generated during the processing of granite, resulting in negative impacts on the environment. As part of an environmental commitment, granite waste is currently recovered to obtain feldspar minerals, one of the main raw material for ceramic products. Nevertheless, the requirement of the ceramic industry for feldspar ore with low iron impurities complicates their recovery from granite waste. Various studies deal with the concentration of feldspar minerals, this literature review focuses on the different techniques used in the purification of feldspar minerals from its ferromagnetic impurities. The removal and liberation of iron-bearing minerals involves various mineral treatments, of which magnetic separation, leaching, and flotation are the main purification methods used. Several studies have been carried out on the application of these three techniques separately and combined, to obtain a feldspar concentrate with a low content of colored impurities that meets the requirements of the ceramic and glass industries.