Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The South African industry use of Mössbauer spectroscopy to solve operational problems

  • Published:
Hyperfine Interactions Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

South Africa is a country that is very rich in mineral resources but the use of Mössbauer spectroscopy to solve operational industrial problems is however very limited. In the Bushveld Igneous Complex the main minerals extracted from the ore are the platinum group metals and chromium, but secondary recovery of base metals such as nickel, copper and cobalt forms an integral part of the process. Losses of nickel in the slag can amount to about 4 % and subsequent a slag cleaning furnace is used to reduce the loss to less than 0.5 % nickel oxide. The Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio and mineralogy was used to determine the partial oxygen pressure in the furnaces and also the efficiency of the nickel recovery. From the Mössbauer results, augmented with XRD, SEM, EMP-WDX and MLA analyses, optimum conditions were determined to ensure minimum metal losses. The use of Mössbauer spectroscopy in the coal industry, to investigate mineral changes that occur during its use, is also of importance. The main minerals present in coal were determined with the aid of various techniques, such as Mössbauer, XRD, SEM and HR-TEM, with the major iron minerals found to be pyrite, illite, ankerite and jarosite. A large quantity of coal is used to produce syngas via gasification plants for the production of synthetic fuels. The change of the mineral matter during gasification was studied and the changes occurring during the gasification process were followed. The syngas produced, is further treated by means of the Fischer–Tropsch process where an iron catalyst is incorporated in the process. The usefulness and fouling of the catalyst is being studied with the aid of Mössbauer spectroscopy. The calibration of equipment to determine work hardening in mining equipment was also investigated and found to be a useful tool in industry. From the above few examples it is evident that, although used on a limited base, Mössbauer spectroscopy, augmented by various other spectroscopic tools, still ensures optimal recovery and production of the vast resource base of South Africa.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/sectors/mining.htm (2013). Accessed 3 July 2013

  2. Waanders, F.B., Mans, A.: Ferrosilicon–DMS Medium Characterisation and Degradation During Use. XXIIth IMPC-proceedings, pp. 396–401 (2003)

  3. Waanders, F.B., Rabatho, J.P.: Recovery of heavy minerals by means of Fe-Si DMS material. Hyperfine Interact. 161, 55–60 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Napier-Munn, T.J., Kojovic, T., Scott, I.A., Shi, F., Masinja, J.H., Baguley, P.J.: Some causes of medium loss in dense medium plants. Miner. Eng. 8(6), 659–678 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Mulaba-Bafubiandi, A.F., Mukendi-Ngalula, D., Waanders, F.B.: Ilmenite mineral’s recovery from beach sand tailings. Hyperfine Interact. 139/140, 485–494 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Mulaba-Bafubiandi, A.F., Waanders, F.B., Jones, C.: Retained austenite phase in (26.5 % Cr, 2.6 % C) white cast iron studied by means of CEMS and Eddy Current. Hyperfine Interact. 139/140, 455–462 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Woollacott, L.C., Eric, R.H.: Mineral and Metal Extraction: An Overview. Johannesburg: The South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, p 331 (1994)

  8. http://www.mbendi.com/indy/ming/coal/af/sa/p0005.htm (2013). Accessed 10 July 2013

  9. Falcon, R.MS., Snyman, C.P.: Atlas of petrographic constituents in the bituminous coals of Southern Africa. In: An Introduction to Coal Petrography, p 123 (1986)

  10. Waanders, F.B.: Iron Mineral Changes of Two Coal Types Occurring During Gasification. International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, Pittsburgh (2012)

  11. Stevens, J.G., Khasanov, A.M., Miller, J.W., Pollak, H., Li, Z. (eds.): Mössbauer Mineral Handbook, Mössbauer Effect Data Centre, p 527 University of North Carolina, Asheville (1998)

  12. Handbook, A.S.M.: Alloy Phase Diagrams, vol. 3. Ohio, Materials Park (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Stearns, M.B.: Internal magnetic fields, isomer shifts and relative abundances of the various Fe sites in FeSi alloys. Phys. Rev. 129(3), 1136–1144 (1963)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Nkosibomvu, Z.L., Witcomb, M.J., Cornish, L.A., Pollak, H.: Mössbauer spectroscopy and SEM characterization of commercial ferrosilicon powders. Hyperfine Interact. 112(1–4), 261–265 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Waanders, F.B., Smit, D.S.: The leaching of a sulphide ore—a Mössbauer and SEM perspective. Hyperfine Interact. C5, 471–474 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Andrews, L., Pistorius, P.C., Waanders, F.B.: Electron beam and Mössbauer techniques combined to optimise base metal partitioning in the furnace. Michrochim. Acta. 161, 445–450 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Waanders, F.B., Nell, J.: Phase chemical composition of slag from a direct nickel flash furnace and associated slag cleaning furnace. Hyperfine Interact. 218, 101–105 (2013)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Waanders, F.B.: The use of Mössbauer spectroscopy in coal research—is it relevant or not?. In: Nishida, T., Sharma, V. (eds.) Mössbauer Spectroscopy: Applications in Chemistry, Biology, Industry, and Nanotechnology.Wiley (2013). (in press)

  19. Bunt, J.R., Neomagus, H.W.J.P., Botha, A.A., Waanders, F.B.: Reactivity Study of Fine Discard Coal Agglomerates. ICCS&T State College, USA (2014)

  20. Bunt, J.R., Waanders, F.B.: Identification of the reaction zones occurring in a commercial-scale Sasol-Lurgi FBDB gasifier. Fuel 87, 1814–1823 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Cornell, R.M., Schwertmann, U.: The Iron Oxides: Structure, Properties, Reactions, Occurrences and Uses, 2nd edn.Wiley-VCH, Weinheim (2006)

  22. Murad, E.: Ferrihydrite deposits on an artesian fountain in lower Bavaria . Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie – Monatshefte, 45–56 (1982)

  23. Maddock, A.G.: Mössbauer Spectroscopy: Principles and Applications. Horwood Publishing, Chichester (1997)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  24. Murad, E., Cashion, J.: Mössbauer Spectroscopy of Environmental Materials and their Industrial Utilisation. Kluwer, Boston (2004)

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical and Minerals Engineering, North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

    Frans B. Waanders

  2. Mineral Processing and Technology Research Center, Department of Metallurgy, School of Mining, Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Antoinne F. Mulaba-Bafubiandi

  3. Sasol Technology (Pty) Limited, R&D., Box 1, Sasolburg, 1947, South Africa

    Lonzeche Lodya

Authors
  1. Frans B. Waanders
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Antoinne F. Mulaba-Bafubiandi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lonzeche Lodya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frans B. Waanders.

Additional information

Proceedings of the 32nd International Conference on the Applications of the Mössbauer Effect (ICAME 2013) held in Opatija, Croatia, 1–6 September 2013

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Waanders, F.B., Mulaba-Bafubiandi, A.F. & Lodya, L. The South African industry use of Mössbauer spectroscopy to solve operational problems. Hyperfine Interact 226, 721–735 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10751-013-0958-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10751-013-0958-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation