Black Sand: By: Mourad Hosni

Black Sand
Presented to: Prof. Salah El-Mofty
By: Mourad Hosni
Mourad.Hosni@hotmail.com
Contents:
Black Sand Definition
Black Sand Heavy Minerals
Chemical Formula and Physical Properties of These Minerals
How It Is Formed
Occurrences
Industrial Uses
Processing Flow Sheet
Spiral Separator
Dry High Magnetic Separator
High Tension Separator
Detailed Flow sheet
Flowchart
Electron Microprobe
Scanning Electron Microscope
1
2
Black Sand:
Heavy mineral sands are a class of ore deposit which is an important source of:
 Zircon
 Titanium
 Thorium
 Tungsten
 Magnetite
 Ilmenite
 Augite
 Hornblende
 Kyanite
 Tourmaline
 Apatite
 Titanite
 Biotite
 Monazite
 The industrial minerals diamond, sapphire
Density of these minerals is usually above 2.85 gm/cm3
Heavy mineral sands are placer deposits1 formed most usually in beach
environments by concentration due to the specific gravity of the mineral grains.
1
In geology, a placer deposit or placer is an accumulation of valuable minerals formed by deposition of
dense mineral phases in a trap site. The name is from the Spanish word placer, meaning "alluvial sand".
Types of placer deposits include alluvium, eluvium, beach placers, and paleoplacers.
3
Chemical Formula & Physical Properties of Some Consisting Minerals:
Mineral Chemical Formula Physical Properties

Rutile TiO2 - Red brown
- Opaque
- Reflective
Ilmenite FeTiO3 - Black/grey
- Hard
- Magnetic
- High melting point
Zircon ZrSiO4 - Hard
- Many different
colors or
transparent
- Melting point >
2500 oC
- Non-corrosive
Magnetite Fe3O4 - Grey/black
- Metallic
- magnetic
4
How Mineral Sand Deposits Have Formed?
Mineral sands such are derived from igneous rocks, such as basalt and granite.
Over millions of years these rocks have been eroded away by wind and water, and
washed into the sea. Eventually, the waves wash these particles of heavy minerals
onto the beach. Because they are heavier than the silicone component of the sand
surrounding them, they stay behind as the waves wash the lighter particles back
out to sea. The wind also helps to concentrate the deposit of heavy mineral
particles, by blowing the lighter sand particles away. This process occurs while the
currents carry the mineral sands to that particular area. After the current changes,
and carries the sediment elsewhere, the silicone component of sand and its
impurities form another layer on top and bury the heavy mineral layer.
5
Occurrences:
6
Industrial Uses:
Black sand is a rich source of zircon, garnet, titanium…etc
1- Zircon:
 Nuclear reactors due to its neutron absorption properties
 Large specimens are used as gemstones
 Insulating purposes
2- Ilmenite:
 Iron pellets
 Titanium Dioxide
3- Garnet:
 Cutting steel
 Gemstone
 Water filtration
4- Titanium:
 Aircraft applications
 Armored vehicles
 Artificial joints for human
 Eyeglasses
 Jewelry
5- Tungsten:
 Lamp industry
 Satellites
 Windows and optical glasses
6- Thorium:
 Atomic fuel source
7- Hornblende:
 Decoration
7
Processing black sand sample called “teri sand” found in south India
[Designed by Edraw Max V 5]
8
Mineralogical composition of black sand sample (as received sample) and

total heavy mineral distribution in sink.
Minerals Feed, % Sink, %
Ilmenite 3.7 67.5
Zircon 0.9 15.6
Sillimanite 0.7 12.3
Others 0.2 4.6
Garnet
Rutile
Monazite
Pyribols
Quartz 94.5 0
Total 100.0 100.0
9
Spiral Classifier:
Results of spiral separation on recovery of total heavy minerals (THM) such as

ilmenite, zircon, sillimanite etc., from feed sample are given. The data indicate that
the concentrate obtained contain 19.2% by weight. The distribution of THM is
5.2% by weight and the overall recovery is 95%. The THM loss in tailings is 0.3%
and hence it can be rejected
Results of Spiral Separation
Details Weight, % Sink, % THM, % Rec., %
Concentrate 19.2 27.1 5.2 95
Tailing 80.8 0.4 0.3 5
Total 100.0 5.5 5.5 100.0
10
Dry Magnetic Separator:
The spiral concentrate was subjected to dry high intensity magnetic separation
(DHIMS) to recover total magnetic minerals (mostly ilmenite). The data are given.
The total magnetics obtained by DHIMS is 19.8% by weight and 98.7% sink. The
overall weight distribution is 3.8% and THM distribution is 19.5% with overall
recovery 68%
Results of Dry High Intensity Magnetic Separator (DHIMS)
Details Weight, % Weight dist., Sink, % THM, Over all Rec.,

% % %
Magnetic 19.8 3.8 98.7 19.5 68
Non- 80.2 5.4 9.4 7.6 27

Magnetic
Total 100.0 19.2 27.1 27.1 95
11
High Tension Separator:
The magnetic fraction of DHIM is further subjected to high tension separator

(HTS) to recover total ilmenite. The data are given in. The total conducting
fraction obtained contains 92% by weight and 99.4% sink. The overall distribution
of weight is 3.5% and the THM distribution is 91.5% with overall recovery 63%.
Results of High Tension Separator (HTS)
Details Weight, % Weight Sink, % THM, % Over all

dist., % Rec., %
Conducting 92.1 3.5 99.4 91.5 63
Non 7.9 0.3 90.5 7.2 5

Conducting
Total 100.0 3.8 98.7 98.7 68
12
The non magnetic fraction of DHIMS subjected to gravity table and the results are
given in. The data indicate that gravity table concentrate (mostly zircon and
sillimanite) obtained contain 9.7% by weight and the sink is 93.9%. The overall
weight distribution is 1.5% and the THM distribution is 9.1% with overall 26%
recovery. The gravity table tailings contain 0.3% sink and 0.3%THM and hence this
can be rejected.
Results of tabling studies
Details Weight, % Weight Sink, % THM, % Over all

dist., % Rec, %
Concentrate 9.7 1.5 93.9 9.1 26
Tailing 90.3 13.9 0.3 0.3 01
Total 100.0 15.4 9.4 9.4 27
13
Black Sand Processing Flowchart
14
Electron Microprobe
An electron microprobe (EMP), also known as an electron probe

microanalyser (EPMA) or electron micro probe analyser (EMPA), is an
analytical tool used to non-destructively determine the chemical composition of
small volumes of solid materials. This enables the elements present within sample
volumes of [10-30 cubic micrometers] or less to be determined.
15
How it works?
A beam of electrons is fired at a sample. The beam causes each element in the
sample to emit X-rays at a characteristic frequency; the X-rays can then be
detected by the electron microprobe
Chemical composition is determined by comparing the intensities of characteristic

X-rays from the sample material with intensities from known composition
(standards).
Mineralogy and Petrology
The technique is most commonly used by mineralogists and petrologists. Most

rocks are aggregates of small mineral grains. These grains may preserve chemical
information adopted during their formation and subsequent alteration. This
information may illuminate geologic processes, such as crystallization,
lithification, volcanisms, mountain building, plate tectonics
The change in elemental composition from the centre to the edge of a mineral can
yield information about the history of the crystal's formation, including the
temperature, pressure, and chemistry of the surrounding medium.
Quartz crystals, for example, incorporate a small, but measurable amount of

titanium into their structure as a function of temperature, pressure, and the
amount of titanium available in their environment. Changes in these parameters
are recorded by titanium as the crystal grows.
16
Scanning Electron Microscope [SEM]
It’s a type of electron microscope that images the sample surface by scanning it
with a high-energy beam of electrons in a raster scan pattern. The electrons
interact with the atoms that make up the sample producing signals that contain
information about the sample's surface topography.
17
SEM studies reveal that
1- Ilmenite marked by numerous surface pits, etch marks, irregular blocks and
solution pits, were created by mechanical abrasion and chemical processes.
The grain may belong to paleo-sediments and might have been brought to
the beach environment due to reworking of bottom sediments. Very often,
2- zircon is present as well developed crystals.
3- Sillimanite shows concodial blockage due to mechanical weathering during
transportation
4- Well rounded monazite with pitted nature was observed. The grain might
have undergone surface chemical activity and reworking of sediments
under favorable condition.
18
19

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Black Sand

Presented to: Prof. Salah El-Mofty

By: Mourad Hosni

Black Sand Heavy Minerals

Chemical Formula and Physical Properties of These Minerals

Processing Flow Sheet

Dry High Magnetic Separator

High Tension Separator

Detailed Flow sheet

Scanning Electron Microscope

Density of these minerals is usually above 2.85 gm/cm3

Chemical Formula & Physical Properties of Some Consisting Minerals:

Mineral Chemical Formula Physical Properties

How Mineral Sand Deposits Have Formed?

Black sand is a rich source of zircon, garnet, titanium…etc

[Designed by Edraw Max V 5]

Mineralogical composition of black sand sample (as received sample) and

Minerals Feed, % Sink, %

Ilmenite 3.7 67.5

Zircon 0.9 15.6

Sillimanite 0.7 12.3

Others 0.2 4.6

Total 100.0 100.0

Results of spiral separation on recovery of total heavy minerals (THM) such as

Results of Spiral Separation

Details Weight, % Sink, % THM, % Rec., %

Concentrate 19.2 27.1 5.2 95

Tailing 80.8 0.4 0.3 5

Total 100.0 5.5 5.5 100.0

Dry Magnetic Separator:

Results of Dry High Intensity Magnetic Separator (DHIMS)

Details Weight, % Weight dist., Sink, % THM, Over all Rec.,

Magnetic 19.8 3.8 98.7 19.5 68

Non- 80.2 5.4 9.4 7.6 27

Total 100.0 19.2 27.1 27.1 95

High Tension Separator:

The magnetic fraction of DHIM is further subjected to high tension separator

Results of High Tension Separator (HTS)

Details Weight, % Weight Sink, % THM, % Over all

Conducting 92.1 3.5 99.4 91.5 63

Non 7.9 0.3 90.5 7.2 5

Total 100.0 3.8 98.7 98.7 68

Results of tabling studies

Details Weight, % Weight Sink, % THM, % Over all

Concentrate 9.7 1.5 93.9 9.1 26

Tailing 90.3 13.9 0.3 0.3 01

Total 100.0 15.4 9.4 9.4 27

Black Sand Processing Flowchart

An electron microprobe (EMP), also known as an electron probe

Chemical composition is determined by comparing the intensities of characteristic

Mineralogy and Petrology

The technique is most commonly used by mineralogists and petrologists. Most

Quartz crystals, for example, incorporate a small, but measurable amount of

Scanning Electron Microscope [SEM]

SEM studies reveal that

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