Operation and Optimization of Sillimanite Beneficiation - in Dry Plant

In Mineral Processing Sector, Sillimanite being a alumino-silicate mineral is one of the Industrially important mineral primarily in the manufacture of refractories. Sillimanite is mostly available in beach sands along with various associated minerals leading to its complexity in separation process. Traditionally Sillimanite is being separated by Flotation operations at wet stage. Only few research works are available to upgrade this mineral at dry stage following froth flotation.The research work is in view to beneficiate Sillimanite concentrate from flotation process to marketable Sillimanite with low iron content by using magnetic separation techniques, as downstream processing. The results obtained in the work proven profitable at plant level operations. I would like to pay my affectionate gratitude to my parents Dr. P J Rao,Ph.D; Mrs. P Shakuntala,M.A & Sister Dr. Pravallika,BDS and I extend my personal tribute to Dr. D A Naidu, Assoc. Prof. in Andhra University (Guide); Mr. Ch V G K Murty, Director(TSPL); Mr. K Kanna Babu, Head (TSPL)& Ms. E Chercunova, Editor (LAP), for their guidance and support without which this venture would not have been completed and published.