Sorting of a niobium ore on geological bases and by X-MET analyzer

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 78, No. 873, 1985

H. VARTIAINEN and H. PAARMA Rautaruukki Oy, H. SIPILA, Outokumpu Oy, Finland

The carbonatite massif of Sokli includes several low-grade Nb showings composed of ores and wastes as identified by routine analyses. More detailed lithologic proportions were determined in two orebodies in the Kaulusrova Nb-mineralized area by a careful geological study and by thorium radiation measurement on 10 cm-long drill core cuttings with a total length of 460 metres. The distribution of Nb in eight X-ray spectro-metrically analyzed drill core sample intervals (totalling 35.8 m) was determined by analyzing the intervals semi-continuously by an X-MET analyzer. The geological studies suggest that Nb-mineralized bodies are feasible for the sorting of ore and waste. This was confirmed by the semi-continuous determination of Nb on the X-MET analyzer.

Keywords: Niobium, X-MET analyzer, Spectrometers, Drill cores.