On the Correlation of Sulfur and Zinc with Iron in Magnetite Ores of the Temir-Tau and Sheregeshevo Deposits
Abstract Generated abstract
This paper examines the relationships between sulfur, zinc, and iron contents in magnetite ores from the Temir-Tau and Sheregeshevo deposits, where sulfur and zinc occur mainly as sulfide minerals and represent harmful impurities for metallurgical use. Using chemical assay data from mine laboratories and correlation analysis, it derives empirical equations and correlation coefficients for different ore bodies and iron-content ranges, showing both direct and inverse dependencies of sulfur and zinc on iron. The study further tests these relationships along the strike and dip of ore bodies and finds that the spatial trends are consistent with the calculated correlations. The results suggest that iron content can be used to estimate sulfur and zinc contents, reduce the number of chemical analyses, and support ore averaging to meet specified impurity standards.
Full Text
ON THE CORRELATION OF SULFUR AND ZINC WITH IRON IN MAGNETITE ORES OF THE TEMIR-TAU AND SHEREGESHEVO DEPOSITS
P. I. RAISKII
(Presented by the scientific seminar of the departments of mine surveying and geodesy)
In the magnetite ores of the Temir-Tau and Sheregeshevo deposits, sulfur and zinc occur in the form of the sulfide minerals chalcopyrite and sphalerite, while zinc occurs predominantly as sphalerite.
Both sulfur and zinc are harmful impurities in iron ores; therefore, determining their quantity in the ore is of great practical importance for metallurgy.
To determine the sulfur and zinc content in the ore, it is necessary to carry out a large number of analyses. The number of analyses for sulfur and zinc can be reduced if, for this purpose, their dependence on the iron content in the ore is used.
The present article gives the results of studies of the relationships between sulfur and iron, and also between zinc and iron, which make it possible to judge the possibility of using these relationships for practical purposes. The method of correlation analysis was used in the study.
Correlation of sulfur and zinc with iron in magnetite ores
Temir-Tau deposit
For the magnetite ores of the Temir-Tau deposit, the dependence of sulfur and zinc on ore iron was established from the data of ore analyses carried out in the chemical laboratory of the mine.
The results of the studies are presented in Table 1 and Figs. 1, 2.
The ore bodies of the Temir-Tau deposit are characterized by sharp variation in the sulfur and zinc content in the ore. In some ore bodies the sulfur and zinc content varies from 0 to 2%, while in others the content of sulfur and zinc rises from 2% to 7%.
Fig. 1. Graph of the dependence of sulfur on iron for magnetite ores of the Temir-Tau deposit; 1—samples, 2—according to equation (1), Table 1.
It has been established that for the first group of ore bodies the content of sulfur and zinc is inversely dependent on the content of ore iron.
For the second group of ore bodies the sulfur content in the ore is directly dependent on the FeO content in it. The degree of re-
Fig. 2. Graph of the dependence of zinc on iron for magnetite ores of the Temir-Tau deposit: 1 — samples, 2 — according to equation (2), Table 1.
liability of the relation of sulfur with iron and zinc with iron is sufficiently high, since the value of the correlation coefficients is close to unity (Table 1).
Table 1
Equation of the dependence of sulfur and zinc on iron and evaluation of the reliability of this dependence
| Deposit | No. of analyses | Iron content in ore, % | Equations of dependence | Correlation coefficient | Error of the correlation coefficient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temir-Tau | 110 | 35 and higher | \(S=-8-0,059\,Fe\) (1) | \(-0,813\) | \(\pm0,032\) |
| Temir-Tau | 127 | " | \(Zn=3,56-0,055\,Fe\) (2) | \(-0,816\) | \(\pm0,058\) |
| Temir-Tau | 119 | " | \(S=0,6+0,294\,FeO\) (3) | \(+0,84\) | \(\pm0,027\) |
| Temir-Tau | 106 | 20 and lower | \(S=-1,08+0,299\,Fe\) | \(+0,792\) | \(\pm0,045\) |
| Sheregeshevo, Main section | 223 | 43 and higher | \(S=0,0984\,Fe-2,75\) | \(+0,601\) | \(\pm0,043\) |
| Sheregeshevo, Main section | 343 | " | \(Zn=0,071\,Fe-1,67\) | \(+0,505\) | \(\pm0,045\) |
| Sheregeshevo, Bolotny section | 86 | 43 and lower | \(S=-4,46-0,083\,Fe\) | \(-0,59\) | \(\pm0,07\) |
| Sheregeshevo, Bolotny section | 133 | " | \(Zn=4,65-0,0834\,Fe\) | \(-0,52\) | \(\pm0,064\) |
In skarnified ores the sulfur content is directly dependent on the iron content. The closeness of this dependence is sufficiently reliable, since the correlation coefficient is equal to 0,792.
Sheregeshevo Deposit
The initial data for establishing the relation of sulfur and zinc with iron in the magnetite ores of the deposit were the results of ore analyses in the chemical laboratory of the mine. The results of the investigations are presented in Table 1.
In the ores of the Sheregeshevo deposit, the investigations established both a direct and an inverse dependence of sulfur and zinc on ore iron.
A direct relation of sulfur and zinc with iron is characteristic of ore bodies with an iron content of 43% and higher (the Glavnyi sector).
An inverse dependence of sulfur and zinc in the ore on its iron content is characteristic of ore bodies with an iron content of 43% and lower. The validity of what has been said is well confirmed by the data of Table 1.
Distribution of the Relation of Sulfur and Zinc with Iron along the Strike and Dip of Ore Bodies
It was stated above that the sulfur and zinc contents in the ores of the Temir-Tau and Sheregeshevo deposits are in a direct or inverse dependence on their ore-iron content. The degree of this dependence is fairly high.
In the present section of the article, the question is considered of how the above-mentioned correlations are preserved along the strike and dip of the ore bodies.
To resolve the question of how the relation of sulfur to iron and zinc to iron is distributed in space, we calculated the mean values of sulfur, zinc, and iron for individual exploration lines and horizons. From the mean contents of sulfur, zinc, and iron, referred to the entire area of a horizon or exploration line, graphs of the dependence of sulfur and zinc on iron were constructed. Then, along a straight line, smoothing of the curves of dependence of sulfur and zinc on iron was performed, as a result of which graphs were obtained showing the change in the contents of sulfur, zinc, and iron in the ore along the strike and dip of the ore bodies (the Bolotnyi and Glavnyi sectors). These graphs are shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
Fig. 3. Change in the content in the ore of zinc, sulfur, and iron along the strike of the ore bodies.
Fig. 4. Change in the content in the ore of sulfur, zinc, and iron along the dip of the ore bodies.
From Figs. 3 and 4 it is evident: with depth of occurrence of the ore body (Bolotnyi sector), the iron content decreases, while the sulfur and zinc contents increase; i.e., an inverse dependence is observed between them.
Along the strike from NW to SE in the Bolotnyi sector, the same picture can be traced; i.e., the iron content in the ore decreases, while the amount of sulfur and zinc increases.
Along the ore body (the Glavnyi section), as the depth of its occurrence increases, the content of iron, sulfur, and zinc decreases; i.e., there is a direct relationship among them.
Along the strike from NW to SE of the ore body (the Glavnyi section), the content of sulfur, zinc, and iron increases; i.e., a direct relationship among them is maintained.
The data obtained on the spatial distribution of the relationship of sulfur with iron are in full agreement with the previously established correlation relationships, which are given in Table 1; namely, for the ore body (the Bolotnyi section) the relationship of sulfur and zinc with iron in the ore is inverse, whereas for the ore body (the Glavnyi section) the relationship of sulfur and zinc with iron in the ore is direct.
Conclusions
By the method of correlation analysis it has been established that:
1) In the ores of the Temir-Tau and Sheregeshevo deposits, between the contents of sulfur and iron, and zinc and iron, there is both a direct and an inverse dependence.
A direct dependence of sulfur and zinc on the iron of the ore applies to ores with a high iron content. An inverse relationship of sulfur and zinc with iron is characteristic of ores with a low iron content.
The degree of reliability of the dependence of sulfur and zinc on iron is high and quite sufficient to use these dependencies when averaging ores in order to obtain ore raw material with a specified standard for sulfur and zinc.
2) The relationship of sulfur with iron and zinc with iron is maintained in space, i.e., along the strike and dip of the ore bodies, which once again confirms the possibility of using these relationships for practical purposes.
3) The existing regular relationships between sulfur and iron, and zinc and iron, can be used to determine the amount of sulfur and zinc in the ore from its known iron content and thereby reduce the number of analyses for determining their content in the ore.
In addition, knowing in advance the sulfur and zinc content in the ore mass by different ore bodies, it is possible to average the ores during mining and thereby obtain ore raw material with a constant chemical-mineralogical composition and with the required standard for sulfur and zinc.
Literature
- Raiskii P. I. On the correlation relationship between components in magnetite ores of the deposits of Gornaia Shoria. Izvestiya vuzov, Gornyi zhurnal, No. 9, 1959.