The removal of iron from an Indian diaspore sample was studied using magnetic separation and leaching techniques aided by an in-depth mineralogical characterization study involving quantitative mineralogical evaluation by scanning electron microscope (QEMSCAN), electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The characterization studies indicate that extremely fine-sized hematite grains are associated with several other mineral phases in a complex manner with around 60% of the hematite not liberated even below the size of 38 mu m limiting the scope of physical separation processes to remove the iron. Wet high intensity magnetic separation (WHIMS) studies reveal that only 49% of iron can be removed. Further, leaching studies using oxalic acid suggest that around 76% of the iron can be removed under conditions such as a solid to liquid ratio of 0.05:1, a temperature of 90 degrees C, a time period of 120 min and an acid concentration of 1 mol/L. The dissolution of iron in oxalic acid is found to be controlled by chemical reaction and the activation energy is calculated as 35.15 kJ/mol.
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