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Zawartość zarchiwizowana w dniu 2022-12-23

RARE METALS IN BOLIVIAN ORES

Cel


The mining industry in Bolivia, was mostly oriented towards tin production. It therefore experienced major difficulties in the second half of the nineteen-eighties as a result of dramatically decreasing prices for tin. This project was an attempt to improve the economically bad situation of the mining industry in Bolivia, by exploring the possibility of an additional source of income from the recovery of rare metals like gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge), indium (In), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te) and thallium (Tl) from Bolivian ores. These metals belong to the so called electronic metals of groups III to VI of the periodic system. The term electronic metals as used in the specialised literature originates from the fact that these elements are essential for the production of semiconductors. In addition to the electronic metals, cadmium (Cd), bismuth (Bi) and the precious metals gold and silver were considered in this study. The reason for doing this was that from geochemical considerations an enrichment of these metals has to be expected in the ores of the 20 mines selected for investigation.
The determination of rare metals in a concentration range of some ppm in base metal ores and minerals needs particular care and therefore different analytical methods had to be used, such as direct coupled plasma spectrometry (DCP), fire assay direct coupled plasma spectrometry (FADCP), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS), graphite furnace atomic absorption (GFAA), and flameless atomic absorption (FAA). The main elements were analysed by standard X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). In order to determine the distribution and zoning of main elements and of rare metals individual grains were analysed by electron microprobe. The modal composition and grain size distribution of ore concentrates was determined on polished grain mounts by image analysis methods and subsequent statistical evaluation. All data were evaluated graphically and statistically by computer. The final report provides for each mine, the fundamental geological facts, the analytical data and discussion and an evaluation of all the data, including recommendations for future activities. The project demonstrated for the first time the presence of noticeable enrichments in rare metals and, in some instances, in gold and silver in the products of 20 polymetallic deposits of the central and southern part of the Bolivian tin belt. The data produced can form the basis for a negotiation of better prices for some of the concentrates and ores by the mine owners.

Temat(-y)

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Zaproszenie do składania wniosków

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System finansowania

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Koordynator

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH
Wkład UE
Brak danych
Adres
21,Alte Akademie 16
85350 FREISING
Niemcy

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