Characterization of natural raw materials in the processing of iron ore from Omarska mine

Abstract

In present paper there were studied characteristics of the primary natural raw material samples from Omarska mine (Bosnia and Herzegovina). These materials are labeled as: “limonite ore”, “quartz” and “clay”, and they are main components which occur in the processing of iron ore in Omarska mine. In order to precisely determine the present mineral phases and their chemical compositions, it was performed XRPD, FTIR and SEM-EDS analysis. The XRPD results showed that the “limonite ore” samples are composed of major goethite which dominate over hematite, and with minor contents of magnetite, quartz and clay minerals. The “quartz” samples are composed of major quartz which dominate over minor contents of clay minerals, feldspars and hematite. The “clay samples” are composed of major quartz and clay minerals which dominate over minor contents of feldspars, amphiboles, goethite and hematite. The clay minerals were identified as mostly illite-sericite which prevails over kaolinite, and with chlorites which appears only sporadically. The FTIR and SEM-EDS analysis are in very good agreement and mainly confirms the results obtained by XRPD method.