Characterization and stabilization of iron ore suspension and influence of the mixture of natural additive Sapindus mukorossi and SDS on the slurryability

Abstract

The traditional way of transporting iron ore from mine to end-use plants often causes the industry significant economic hardship and degradation of the ecological system. Hydrotransportation of slurry through a pipeline is a remarkably viable strategy for effectively transporting iron ore in terms of economics, dependability, and safety, with minimal environmental impact. In the present investigation, a blend of bimodal samples is prepared by mixing medium and coarse particles of Indian iron ore of size 38–75 (I-2) and 75–106 (I-3) µm, respectively, with finer particles of size <38 µm (I-1) in 10–40% (by weight) proportion. Rheological characterization of the blend samples is done to finalize the optimum particle size. To enhance the flowability and stability of the concentrated iron ore samples, they are amalgamated with a mixture of plant-based nonionic saponin extracted from Sapindus mukorossi (Ritha) and the anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactants. The correct proportion of SDS in saponin is obtained through a thorough analysis of critical micellar concentration, zeta potential, and rheological parameters. Finally, the stability and slurryability of iron ore suspension with a Saponin–SDS mixture are established through rheological properties, dispersant concentration, and stabilization mechanisms. It is found that the optimum proportion of a mixture of saponin–SDS significantly improved the slurryability and stability of iron ore suspension and the maximum iron ore loading was enhanced by up to 81% by weight. The head loss and specific energy consumption analysis successfully evidence the significance of the surfactants in transporting the slurry through pipelines.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Bimodal iron ore slurry
• surfactant mixture
• Sapindus mukorossi
• sodium dodecyl sulfate
• adsorption mechanism

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB), New Delhi, an autonomous organization under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), India, for providing financial support for carrying out this study (Grant number: CRG/2020/001520).