UQ\98B.

-29
.M Thsmania Department of Mines - Unpublished Report 1988/29

Industrial minerals in Tasmania - wollastonite.

by C. A. Bacon andR. S. Bottrill

Abstract Typical physical properties of wollastonite products are:

A small, low-grade deposit of wollastonite exists in the Brightness: 90% (compared to MgO)
vicinity of the Kara scheelite mine near Hampshire in Oil absorption (rub out): 35 Ibs/100 lbs
northern Tasmania. Interest has recently been expressed in Hardness (Mohs): 4.5
investigating the potential uses of this resource, and Specific gravity: 2.9
metallurgical testing has shown concentrates of 70% Density: 24 lbs/solid gallon
wollastonite can be obtained from feedstock ore containing Coefficient of expansion: 5 x lO-6mm/:rnmfC
42-59% wollastonite. pH of 10% slurry: 9.9
Solubility in water: 0.0095 g/IOO cc
Wollastonite is used extensively as a filling and reinforcing Chemical activity: Largely inert, except
agent in plastic, paint, ceramics, and tiles, and as a partial concentrated acids.
substitute for both fibre glass and asbestos. No wollastonite is Refractive Index: 1.63
currently produced in Australia. All local consumption uses Melting Point: 1540°C
imported products. which sell for around $55()"'650/tonne.
Pure wollastonite contains 48.3% CaO and 51.7% Si02.
INTRODUCTION Typical analyses are shown in Tables 1, 2 and 5.

Wollastonite (CaSi03) is ideally composed of 48.3% CaO USES

and 51.7% Si02, and is a triclinic mineral found in contact
metamorphosed limestones, usually in the form of cleavable The prime Use of wollastonite is in the manufacture of plastic,
masses, crystals being rare. Even small, crushed fragments of where the inert, acicular fibres are a valuable reinforcing
wollastonite retain their cleavage, with the result that when material. In paint (house paints, etc.) wollastonite is used as
crushed the mineral fragments are needle-shaped, commonly a pH stabiliser, to help prevent can and lid corrosion and to
seven to eight times long as wide. This property makes keep the pigments in suspension.
wollastonite a useful reinforcing agent, and being chemically
inert, a useful filler in a variety of different products. Wollastonite can be used as a partial substitute for fibreglass
and asbestos, and is used in the ceramic and refractory
Wollastonite was named after the English chemist William industries. In ceramic use, wollastonite improves the
Wollaston (1766-1828), who discovered the elements mechanical properties of ceramic ware and reduces warping
palladium and rhodium. In recent years wollastonite has or cracking of rapidly-fired materials. Tiles especially are
become important as a potential replacement for asbestos, the stronger with the inclusion of wollastonite. This is because
use of which is declining due to problems with health and wollastorute contains virtually no moisture, and so can reduce
safety of workers involved in the mining and handling of thermal expansion and cracking associated with moisture in
some forms of asbestos. All wollastonite used in Australia is ceramics. Al:, wollastonite contains roth calcium and silica,
imported, there being none produced here. Tonnages traditional raw materials such as flint, quartz, sand, feldspar.
consumed are very small. marble, limestone, talc, etc. can be wholly or at least partially
replaced with just one mineral. Shrinkage is minimised by the
acicular nature of wollastonite particles, and tiles containing
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES 55% wollastonite have been shown to have a firing shrinkage
as low as 0.1...{J.2%
Wollastonite is a calcium silicate (CaSi03) of the pyroxenoid
family and occurs in three structural modifications: Minor uses of wollastonite are in the manufacture of fluxes.
wollastonite proper; parawollastonite; and pseudo- match-heads, abrasives, and metal casting plastics. As an
wollastonite. The first two minerals are both fonns of (low abrasive, wollastonite is used in making wheels, stones and
temperature)u-CaSi03, while pseudo wollastonite is the high industrial pumice.
temperature form (~-CaSi03. stable above I 120°C).
Wollastonite is atriclinic mineral, and is moderately conunon KNOWN DEPOSITS
in metamorphosed siliceous limestones. Parawollastonite is
monoclinic and is rarer but of the same paragenesis, and The United States of America is the largest producer and
pseudo wollastonite is triclinic and a rare mineral in some consumer of wollastonite. During the 1930's small quantities
pyrometanrrorpfricrockB. were mined in California and made into mineral wool,
however, this was largely experimental and proper mining
Wollastonite is usually massive to fibrous, and is colourless did not begin until the 1950's. Currently, most of the USA's
to brilliant white, orvarious pale tints when impure. Although supply comes from the states of New Yark and California.
the mineral is normally fairly pure, small amounts of Mn and The deposit near New York (Willisboro) has reserves in
Fe may substitute in the structure. Masses pure enough to excess of 10 million tonnes of 55-65% wollastonite. A
mine are uncommon. number of small occurrences are worked in California.

UNPUBLISHED REPORT 1988129

Elsewhere, wollastonite is, or has been, produced from mines Wollastonite) Creek contain wollastonite in varying amounts.
in Mexico, central Asia (USSR), south-west Finland, Kenya The geology of this area has been mapped by Baillie et al.
and Namibia. World reserves of proven wollastonite-bearing (1986). Typical analyses are shown in Table 1.
rocks exceed 90 million tormes, with probable reserves being
270+ million tormes. Hughes (1950) noted that limestone and wollastonite-bearing
rocks did occur in the area of Limestone Creek. but that the
SYNTHETIC WOLLASTONITE area of limestone was not substantial. The rocks in Limestone
Creek were described (Longman, 1961) as consisting of "fme
Varieties of synthetic wollastonite are made in the USA and alternating bands of calcium silicate rocks containing
some European countries. The synthetic forms do not have wollastonite as a prominent constituent, recrystallised
the acicular crystal structure of the natural mineral, and are limestone and quartzite ranging in thickness from nine inches
also more absorbent. to two feet (0.23-0.60 m) and dipping towards the west at
10_15°" (Longman, 1961).
A synthetic variety 'synopal' is made in Denmark from chalk:,
sand and dolomite, while in Italy 'wollanita' is made from PETROLOGY
silica, chalk, sand and dolomite. This is used as a road
material, an abrasive, and in ceramics. In the USA, synthetic Recent mineral processing tests by the Department of Mines
wollastonite is manufactured as 'silene' (Pittsburgh Plate on Kara wollastonite have incorporated some petrological
Glass Company) and as 'Micro-Cel' (Manville Products work, described in Appendix 1 and summarised below and in
Corporation). The synthetic varieties cost around twice that Tables 1 to 6. Results are similar to those of Longman (1961),
of the natural product (Elevatorski, 1983). although he calculated reserves assuming all MgO as
dolomite (not observed in this study) rather than diopside.
CONSUMPTION
The ores contain wollastonite intimately intergrown with
Production of wollastonite appears to be around 115,000 varying amounts of diopside, calcite, quartz, feldspars,
tonnes/year. The main producers are the USA, Finland and pyrrhotite and minor accessories. The wollastonite comprises
India. The following table of tormages mined is taken from between 20 and 70 vol% of various rocks, and has a prismatic
the Australian Mining Review 1984. to fibrous texture and a grain size between 0.05 and 1.0 mm.
It is conunonly poikiloblastic, with fine inclusions of calcite,
Country 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 diopside and other phases, between about 5 and 50 ~ in size
(Plate 1). The feldspars range from AD! to AnlOO, and
Finland 10,576 8,782 13,690 14,962 15,402 diopside may contain a few % of A}z03 and FeO.
Kenya 200 Accessories include pyrite, sphene, chalcopyrite, epidote,
Mexico 11,892 20,905 14,602 15,599 leucoxene, zircon and amphibole.
USA 63,000 76,000 87,000 86,000 83,000
India 3,794 5,790 15,915 20,724 16,557 There is little or no quartz co-existing with calcite, indicating
complete reaction to wollastonite. The diopside indicates
some original dolomite; pyrrhotite original pyrite; and the
NOTE: In addition to the countries listed, Japan, Namibia and feldspars probably some original kaolinitic layers. The
Turkey are also believed to produce wollastonite. textures and mineralogies are compatible with an origin by
homfelsing of mixed carbonate and siliciclastic sediments by
SPECIFIC A TIONS a nearby granite intrusion.

Commercial products in the USA are classed as 'milled MINERAL PROCESSING TESTS
grades' (-200, -325 and -400 mesh, and-IO~)and 'attrition
grades' (a 20: 1 length/diameter product). The Department of Mines has carried out some test work on
the wollastonite ores at the request of Kara mine leaseholders
PRICES Tasmania Mines Pty Ltd. TIris work encompassed magnetic
separation and flotation, and is surrunarised in Appendix 1.
Prices (in 1981) of the milled grades were 2 cents-5 cents
(US) per pound (i.e. $US4O-$USlOO per tonne) and 7 cents A wollastonite concentrate with about 73% wollastonite was
per lb ($150 per tonne) for the attrition grade (Elevatorski, produced from a 25 kg sample of feed containing about 45%
1983). In Australia, at the current time, processed wollastonite. The principal contaminants in the feed were
wollastonite, known as 'kemolit', sells for $A550-650/tonne. calcite and diopside, and in the concentrate diopside and
The wollastonite is imported from either fudia or the USA feldspar. Petrographic studies indicate that crushing to <10
(Industrial Minerals, pers. comm.). )lm would be necessary to liberate all wollastonite from
included phases but the proportion of impurities may be low
TASMANIAN OCCURRENCES enough for some uses

Wollastonite has been recorded from the Shepherd and CONCLUSIONS

Murphy mine at Moina in a wollastonite-garnet rock; from
some metamorphosed PeIIDian calcareous mudstones around While wollastonite is known to occur in this limestone,
Hobart (Petterd, 1910); and from an area near Hampshire, in Thomas and Henderson (1943) observed that the beds
northern Tasmania. This latter occurrence, near the Kara containing the mineral were very thin, and even these beds
mine, is the only known deposit having any possible were not pure wollastonite. Extensive sampling of the various
economic importance. Wollastonite occurs in Ordovician bands by Longman (1961) showed that the average content
sequences transi tional between the Gordon Limestone and of wollastonite was around 30%, and this could be increased
the Moina Sandstone, and metamorphosed by Devonian to 37% by 'selective quarrying' and leaving out the chert
granite. bands. Reserves were estimated at 1,000,000 tormes of
wollastonite.
The occurrence has been examined by Thomas and
Henderson (1943), Hughes (1950) and Longman (1961). To be usable, the Tasmanian wollastonite would first have to
Several outcrops of limestone in Limestone (now be extracted from the chert and limestone with which it

UNPUBUSHED REPORT 1988/29 2

occW's., and, as the most useful feabJre of wollastonite is the
acicular nature of the small particles, removal would have to
be done without destruction of the small particles. TIris is
likely to be quite difficult Wollastonite deposits which are
currently mined commercially are of quite high grade,
compared to the local 30% grade, and are also large eoough
to support sizeable mining operations which can effect
economies of scale.

Nonetheless, despite the small size and relatively poor grade

of wollastonite, there may be some potential for this mineral
to be mined and used. Recent mineral processing tests
(Appendix I) have shown that a feedstock containing 42%
wollastonite can be upgraded by wet magnetic separation and
flotation to produce a 70% wollastonite concentrate.

REFERENCES
BAILLIE, P.W.; Wn.uAMS, P. R.; SEYMOUR, D. B.; et al..
1986. Geological adas 1:50 ()()() series. Sheet 36 (8015S).
St Valentines. Department of Mines. Tasmania.

ELEVATORSKI, E. A. 1983. Wollastonite; in: WOND, S. 1.

(ed.). Industrial minerals and rocks (Vol. 2). 1383-1390.
AmericanlnstituteofMining. Metallurgical and Petroleum
Engineers : New York.

HUGHES. T . D. 1950. Limestone at Hampshire. Unpubl. Rep.

Dep. MinesTasm.1950:160.

LoNGMAN,M. 1.1962. Wollastonite at Limestone Creek near

Hampshire. Tech. Rep. Dep.MinesTasm. 6:1~15.

i'ETrERD, W. F.1910.Catalog/U!ofthe"';neralso/Tasmania.
Department of Mines, Tasmania.

[14 October 1988)

Scm

PI.'" 1. Pholomjcrograph of a twinned wollastonite crystal (crossed polars) surrounded by calcit• . The
wolIa.sronite is richly poikiloblastic with inclusions of calcite and diopside. Field of view 69()x460 Ii"'.

UNPUBUSHED REPORT 1988(29 3

Table l' Whole rock analyses (Wt . %)
Sample Si02 A1203 Fe203 MgO CaO CO2 S03 total
R886/Al 41.44 2.30 1.32 3.47 39.51 8.97 0.10 97.11
T&Hl 29.20 3.11 0.72 3.42 44.46 18.62 2.50 102.03
"3 68.00 4.50 2.20 0.40 21.60 2.60 nd 99.30
851468 46.60 1.70 1.40 4.30 40.70 3.80 0.40 98.90
R886/A8 52.08 2.37 0.78 2.67 41.14 0.62 0.03 99.69
Comm.Mins. 48.77 0.66 0.43 0.06 48.02 1.68 nd 99.62

T a bl e 2 Average M'mera IC omposl IOns (Wt o/t)

0 f rom t a bl e 5.
Si02 A1203 Fe203 MgO CaO CO2 S03 total
Wollastonite 52.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 47.99 0.00 0.00 100.00
Diopside 54.39 1.75 2.96 15.62 25.63 0.00 0.00 100.35
Calcite 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 56.00 44.00 0.00 100.00
Feldspar (An) 55.27 28.17 0.00 0.00 12.38 0.00 0.00 95.82
Quartz 100.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00
Pyrrhotite 0.00 0.00 90.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 91.20 181.90

Table 3: Calculated mineral constitution (from Tables 1 & 2).

Sample Wollastonite Diopside Calcite Feldspar (An) Quartz Pyrrhotite Haematite Total
R886/Al 44.93 22.21 20.39 6.78 2.24 0.11 1.21 97.87
T&H 1 29.08 21.89 42.32 9.68 -3.18 2.74 -2.02 97.02
"3 32.67 2.56 5.91 15.81 40.88 0.00 2.20 97.97
851468 58.92 27.52 8.64 4.32 -1.40 0.44 0.96 96.57
R886/A8 73.06 17.09 1.41 7.35 0.73 0.03 0.75 96.57
Comm. Mins. 94.80 0.38 3.82 2.32 -2.03 0.00 0.43 99.73

Table 4: Sample Descriptions

R886/Al Bulk ore sample.
T &H 1 Wollastonite-bearing band (Thomas & Henderson, 1943).
" 3 Siliceous band (Thomas & Henderson, 1943).
851468 Bulk ore sample.
R886/A8 Wollastonite concentrate produced from R886/A1.
Comm. Mins. Commercial wollastonite product (Commercial Minerals).
Table 5: Probe analyses of various minerals from the Kara deposits.

WII1
0 W1l2
0 W1l3A
0 v. WIISh
o . ~Pl ene
Si02 52.46 53.35 51.32 52.38 31.14
Ti02 bld* bid bid bid 34.9
A1203 bid bid bid bid 2.29
Fe203 bid bid bid bid bid
MgO bid bid bId bId 0.54
CaO 48.89 47.60 48.50 48.33 29.03
Total 101.35 100.95 99.82 100.71 97.90

Dil DiZ Di3 A v Di Calcite

Si02 53.89 53.83 56.60 54.77 bid
A1203 0.40 4.89 bid 1.76 bId
Fe203 3.06 3.45 2.43 2.98 bid
MgO 16.02 13.97 17.21 15.73 bid
Cao 25.44 25.54 26.44 25.81 55.33
Total 98.81 101.68 102.68 101.06

F Spl1 F sp~2 F sp:3 F SP'4 F sp5 Fsp<6 F Spl6Average

Si02 61.10 59.90 53.50 70.34 49.53 47.74 46.76 55.55
A1203 23.80 26.00 28.90 19.93 31.31 33.27 35.01 28.32
CaO 10.00 4.60 16.10 0.10 18.80 18.80 18.70 12.44
K20 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.10 bid bid 0.60 0.31
Na20 4.70 9.00 0.90 11.90 0.40 0.30 bid 3.89
TotaI 100.00 100.00 100.00 102.37 100.04 100.11 101.07 100.51

* bid: below level of detection

Sample Details:

Mineral No. Reg. rock No. Description

Wolll G400326A Wollastonite
Woll2 G400326A Wollastonite
Woll3 G400326A Wollastonite
Sphene G400326B Sphene
Dil G400326A Diopside (Di91)
DiZ G400326A Diopside (Di89)
Di3 G400326B Diopside (Di93)
Calcite G400326A Calcite
Fspl G400326A Bytownite (An70)
Fsp2 G400326A Andesine (An36)
Fsp3 G400326A Anorthite (An95)
Fsp4 G400326A Albite (Ani)
Fsp5 G400326B Anorthite (An96)
Fsp6 G400326B Anorthite (An96)
Fsp6 G400326B Anorthite (Ani 00)

UNPUBLISHED REPORT 1988129 5

 Table 6: Mineralogy of Wollastonite ores (Oualitative).

Size Av. size

Sample Mineral Approx % range (/lm) (/lm)
400325
Wollastonite 60 200-1000 600
Calcite 30 100-1000 400
Diopside 5 10-200 100
Feldspars * 2 20-200 100
Pyrrhotite 1 20-200 100
Others* 1 10-100 50
400326A
Wollastonite 30 200-2000 1000
Calcite 60 100-600 300
Diopside 5 10-200 100
Feldspars* 5 20-200 100
Sulphides* 1 10-200 100
Others* 1 10-100 50
400326B
Quartz 30 10-200 50
Wollastonite 20 10-100 50
Calcite 5 10-100 50
Diopside <1 10-50 20
Feldspars* 40 2-50 10
Sulphides* 2 10-200 50
Others* 1 10-100 50
400335
Wollastonite 69 100-1000 300
Calcite 8 50-500 150
Diopside 20 10-100 60
Feldspars* 3 10-60 40
Sulphides* 1 10-100 40
Others* 1 10-100 40

* Others include sphene, leucoxene, zircon, epidote, amphiboles and possibly vesuvianite.
Sulphides include pyrrhotite, pyrite and rare chalcopyrite.
Feldspars include plagioclase and potash feldspars.

UNPUBLISHED REPORT 1988129 6

 APPENDIXl

Treatment of wollastonite ore

INTRODUCTION (a) Sodium carbonate (regulator) - 0.6 kg/tonne

(b) Oleic acid (collection) - 3.3 kg/tonne
A 25 kg sample of wollastonite ore from the Tasmania Mines (c) Aero frother 77 (frother)
Kara deposit was treated at the Department of Mines (d) Flotation time- 5 minutes
Laboratory at Launceston. with the aim of producing a (e) Cleaner flotation time - 5 minutes
high-grade wollastonite product.
7. The flotation tailing product (wollastonite concentrate) was
Some sixteen products from the metallurgical tests were subjected to silica froth flotation in a Denver laboratory
examined by R. S. Bottrill to determine their mineralogical flotation cell using the following conditions and reagents:
constitution. The results of both the metallurgical and (a) Aeromine 3037 (collector) - 4 kg/tonne
mineralogical investigations are outlined in this appendix. (b) Fuel oil (collector) - 1.5 kg/tonne
(c) Aerofrother 77 (frother)
MetaUllTgical Investigation (d) Flotation time- 5 minutes
(e) Cleaner flotation time - 5 minutes
K. J.Austin
P.L.James 8. Except for the Davis Tube magnetics or ball mill iron
product, all Nl products were assayed for Loss on Ignition,
The 25 kg sample was processed as follows: CaO. MgO. Fez03. Ab03. and Si02.

1. The as-received ore was jaw crushed [0 4 mm, mixed, then 9. A further Jones Magnetic separation test was performed on
riffled to produce: six kilograms of sample, with the non-magnetic product
(a) A head sample for chemical analysis. being subject to rougher calcite froth flotation only. All
(b) Ten one-kilogram samples for test work. conditions used were those as previously described This
test was termed N2, and only the rougher flotation tail or
2. Each of the one-kilogram test samples was separately wollastonite concentrate was analysed.
ground in a laboratory ball mill at 40% solids for 25
minutes. Any +600 ).l.m material remaining was reduced to The results obtained from the metallurgical tests are shown
-600 J..Illl by mortar and pestle. in Tables 7~9.

3. One kilogram of ground are was wet then dry screened to Fusion Point Detennination of Concentrate
provide a description of grind.
The fusion JXlint of the test N2 wollastonite concentrate
4. Two of the one-kilogram ball mill ground samples were o
1400°C. with the softening point being 1280 C.
combined (test Nl) and fed to a Jones Wet Magnetic
Separator using the following conditions: Firing Tests of N2 Concentration
(a) Maximum magnetic strength (i.e. 40 amp current)
(b) Feed rate 250 g/minute Small test pieces were made (using the wollastonite
(c) Wash water 3litres/minute concentrate) and fired in an electric furnace for six hours at
1OOO°C. The surfaces of the fired test pieces showed a slight
5. The Jones magnetic product was fed to a Davis Tube for pink tinge, probably due to the oxidation of the contained iron
ball mill iron removaL (0.9% Fe203). Superficial fritting occurred and the test pieces
were quite fragile.
6. The Jones non-magnetic product was subjected to calcite
froth flotation in a Denver laboratory flotation cell using
the following reagents and conditions:

UNPUBLISHED REPORT 1988/29 7

 8/i1
Table 7. SIZING ANALYSES -25 MINUTE BAlL MILL GRIND

Particle Percent Cumulative

size mass Percent
(~m) mass

-4000 +2360 0.4 0.4

-2360 + 1180 0.1 0.5
·1180 + 600 0.1 0.6
·600 + 300 0.1 0.7
·300 + 150 2.7 3.4
·150 + 75 3.7 7.1
·75 + 38 0.3 7.4
(-38) (92.6) (100.0)
CIS I 19.8 27.2
CIS 2 21.6 48.8
CIS 3 12.8 61.6
CIS 4 13.2 74.8
CIS 5 6.0 80.8
OfF (19.2) 100.0

Head 100.0

CIS at 240C

Table 8. OVERAlL TEST RESULTS

Product % % % % % % % %
Mass WI CaO SiOz MgO Fe203 Ab03 CaCO
fromLOI

+600~ 0.6
Davis tube MIA (Tramp iron) 0.3
Davis tube Non Mag 4.6 3.5 29.7 44.5 7.3 10.1 3.5 8.0

=Jones Magnetics Diopside,

Augite etc. 4.9 3.5 29.7
Jones MIS Washings =Middlings 11.1 5.4 37.9 45.1 5.5 1.5 2.7 12.3
Cleaner FC (Calcite Conc) 23.7 25.5 44.2 21.0 3.5 0.9 1.5 58.0
Cleaner FT (Middling) 7.9 1.2 36.7 49.5 5.6 1.5 2.7 2.7

Rougher FC (mainly cal)

=Sum of CFC & CFT above 31.6 (19.4) (42.3) (28.1) (4.0) (1.1) (1.8) (44.1)
*Rougher Ff (Wollastonite Cone) 51.8 0.62 41.1 52.1 2.7 0.8 2.4 1.4

Jones Non Mags

=Sum of FC & FT above 83.4 (7.7) (41.6) (43.0) (3.2) (0.9) (2.2) (17.5)

Calc HID 100.0 (7.2) (40.2) (42.9) (3.6) (1.4) (2.3) (16.4)

Head assays 9.0 39.5 41.4 3.5 1.3 (20.5)

+ TestN2

Product % % % % % % %
Mass LOI CaO SiOz MgO Fe203 Ah03

FIT (Wollastonite Cone) 55.0 0.9 40.8 51.9 2.8 0.9 2.3
FIC (Calcite Conc) 29.1

Jones MIS N 84.1

Jones MIS W (washings) 11.8
Jones MIS MIA 4.1

Head 100.0

* The calculated wollastonite content of the Rougher Ff (wollastonite concentrate) was found to be approximately 70.5 % in a
mass of 51.8 % overall.

+ The yield and chemical comp.)sition of the wollastonite product from testN2 was very similar to that oftestNl. Test N2 was
only performed such that a quantity of wollastonite concentrate would be available for commercial evaluation.

UNPUBUSHED REPORT 1988/29 8

 9ft (
Table 9. SIUCA FWTATION OF ROUGHER FT (WOLLASTONITE CONCENTRATE)

Product % % % % % % %
Mass Lor CaO SiOz MgO Fe20, AhO,

CFC .... .... . , ........ ............ 34.3 0.77 41.7 51.8 2.2 0.90 2.2
CFC .. ........... ............ 2.4 0.75 39.8 51.5 3.5 0.87 3.1

FIC ........... . ............ 36.7 (0.77) (41.6) (51.8) (2.3) (0.90) (2.3)
FIT ............ ...,', ...... , .. 15.1 0.70 39.6 513 3.5 0.70 2.3

FT ....................... ........ . 51.8 (0.75) (41.1) (51.6) (2.6) (0.84) (2.3)

Whilst it is readily apparent that the wollastonite concentrate contains an excess of SiOz. conventional silica flotation did not
achieve any Si02 rernov al or concentration.

Mineralogical Investigation
R. S. Bottrill

Sixteen products from metallurgical tests on wollastonite ores

from the Kara area were submitted for determination of their
mineralogical constitution. Sample details are swnmarisedin
Table 10.

The samples were all run on the X-ray diffractometer,

calibrated externally with pure and weighed mixes of
minerals similar to the constituent phases (calcite,
wollastonite, diopside, and feldspar). Calibration was
difficult due to the mixture of several minerals with complete
X-ray patterns and indefinite compositions. The results are
shown in Table 10.

The measured whole-rock analyses (Table 11, by XRP) were

used to estimate compositions for constituent phases (Table
12), and thus calculate the expected whole-rock composition
(Table 13). The measured and calculated compositions are
not in particularly good agreement eao, Si~ and C~ are
generally comparable (A2 would be better if an iron-bearing
phase could have been measured) but the minor components
AhO" MgO and Fe20, correlate poorly. This suggests that
the calibrating samples may have been inappropriate in
composition for these products, and/or the minerals have
greater compositional variability than expected. The results
in Table 10 are thus more precise than accurate, and may only
be taken to indicate relative compositional trends.

The XRF analyses (Table 11) were converted into

mineralogical constitutions (Table 14) using the estimated
mineral compositions in Table 12. These figures may be more
accurate than those in Table 10 but should still be used with
caution, as accurate mineral compositions are not available.
Quartz and hematite were not detected but are represented in
Table 14 to indicate excess silica and Fe203 from the
calculations, which could be corrected to zero by
manipulation of mineral compositions. Na and K in the XRF
analyses could indicate some albite and alkali feldspars.

The calculated mineralogy of the feed (AI in Table 14) is

about 42% wollastonite, 23% diopside, 20% calcite and 9%
feldspar. This indicates a little more diopside than expected
from preliminary studies. The ore samples examined to date
indicate ranges in mineralogy of about 30-70% wollastonite,
5-60% calcite, 1-20% diopside, 2-40% feldspar and 1-2%
sulphides. The ore is obviously very variable, and more
selective mining may be necessary to maximise the
wollastonite in the feed.

UNPUBLISHED REPORT 1988/29 9

Table 10. Mineral Constitution by XRD (Wt. %, semi-quantitative),
and sample d escriphons.
No. DescrlPtion won. * Di Calcite Fsp
Al Head - - - -
A2 Jones MIS, MIA 65 30 4 1
A3 1st MIS test, +600 81 17 1 1
A5 Jones washings 69 18 12 1
A6 CFC (Calcite Con) 19 11 68 2
A7 CFT (Middling) 76 18 4 2
A8 FT (Won. Con) 92 7 0 1
A9 CIS 1 74 13 11 2
AIO CIS 2 79 7 13 1
All CIS 3 77 10 12 1
A12 CIS 4 79 10 10 1
A13 CIS 5 77 9 13 1
A14 -4000+ 150Jlm 83 11 5 1
A15 -150+38Jlm 83 10 6 1
A17 FIT 91 8 0 1
A18 F2T 92 5 1 2
A19 F2C 94 4 0 2
..
*AbbreVlanons m table 15.

. .
Table 11'. Whole rock analyses -XRF (Wt %)
No. Si02 A1203 Fe203 M.gO CaO CO2 S03 total
Al 41.44 2.30 1.32 3.47 39.51 8.97 0.10 97.11
A2 44.51 3.47 10.06 7.27 29.67 3.52 1.12 99.62
A5 45.05 2.71 1.49 5.47 37.90 5.35 0.08 98.05
A6 20.96 1.46 0.90 3.53 44.24 25.51 0.02 96.62
A7 49.47 2.69 1.52 5.61 36.72 1.23 0.04 97.28
A8 52.08 2.37 0.78 2.67 41.14 0.62 0.03 99.69

Table 12. Estimated Mineral Compositions (Wt. %)

No. Si02 A1203 Fe203 MgO CaO CO2 S03 total
won. 51.7 0 0 0 48.3 0 0 100
Di 53 2.5 3.6 15 25.9 0 0 100
Calcite 0 0 0 0 56 44 0 100
Fsp (An) 64.8 18.3 0 0 17 0 0 100.1
Qtz 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 100
Po 0 0 90.7 0 0 0 91.2 181.9

UNPUBLISHED REPORT 1988129 10

T a bl e 13 : Wh o Ie rock analyses calculated f rom T abIes 10 and 12.
No. Si02 Al203 Fe203 MgO CaO CO2 total
A2 50.15 0.93 1.08 4.50 41.58 1.76 100.00
A3 51.54 0.61 0.61 2.55 44.26 0.44 100.00
A5 45.86 0.63 0.65 2.70 44.88 5.28 100.00
A6 16.95 0.64 0.40 1.65 50.45 29.92 100.00
A7 50.l3 0.82 0.65 2.70 43.95 1.76 100.00
A8 51.92 0.36 0.25 1.05 46.42 0.00 100.00

Table 14·. Calculated mineral constitution (from Table 11) .

No. Woll Di Calcite Fsp(An) Qtz Po Hem Total
Al 42.46 23.1 20.4 9.4 1.13 0.11 0.39 97.02
A2 21.61 48.5 8.0 12.3 -0.35 1.23 7.20 98.51
A5 41.34 36.5 12.2 9.8 -2.02 0.09 0.10 97.97
A6 10.01 23.5 58.0 4.8 0.22 0.02 0.Q3 96.57
A7 49.40 37.4 2.8 9.6 -2.11 0.04 0.13 97.26
A8 70.45 17.8 1.4 10.5 -0.59 0.03 0.11 99.73

Table 15: Abbreviations

WolL Wollastonite (CaSi03)
Di Diopside (CaMgSi206)
Fsp (An) Feldspar (anorthite: CaA12Si208)
Qtz Quartz (Si02)
Po Pyrrhotite (FeS)

UNPUBLISHED REPORT 1988/29 11