Abstract:
This paper deals with a novel new technique: alkali digestion, followed by grinding and flotation, has been attempted for the first time on the Indian graphite ore. The novelty in this method is that the quartz mineral, SiO2, present in the flakes, releases during thermal shock treatment and dissolves partly with sodium hydroxide. Acid cleaning washes out the other soluble minerals. By this method, a product containing a maximum of up to 98% fixed carbon (FC) is achieved with 97% recovery from a graphite concentrate containing 85% FC. This process is environment-friendly and the product achieved is suitable for most of the industries.