Magnetic Separation Studies on Asnawa Iron Ore, Penjween, Northeast Iraq

Abstract The main aims of the research are to study the area and outline the geological setting of the formation in which the iron ore is found and to define the type of iron ore present in the area, to assess the existing quarry, and to assess the quality of the iron ore by making estimates of its assay value. Dry magnetic separation process on 14 different samples of Asnawa iron ore which were collected from different parts of the quarry and from the existing ore deposit piles was conducted in order to examine the validity of this separation process for such type of ore and study its beneficiation. The crushed ore has been classified by sieving analysis into five different size ranges and the dry magnetic separation process has been applied to each size fraction in order to study the size effect on the magnetic separation and to find the most optimum size range. At the end, relevant conclusions and recommendations have been made, such as: The best liberation process (which is the process of liberating the ore particles from the gangue particles happens at the size ranges between 0.85 mm and 0.425 mm and the best magnetic separation process (represented by the achieved assay values or concentrations based on the weight recovery) takes place at the above-mentioned size range. The reason for this finding is that, at this size range, the best liberation of the ore particles from the gangue particles takes place.