The Open Mineral Processing Journal

2008, 1 : 18-25
Published online 2008 September 18. DOI: 10.2174/1874841400801010018
Publisher ID: TOMPJ-1-18

Sedimentation of Magnetic Suspensions of Magnetite

X. Yang and C. Aldricho
Department of Process Engineering, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa.

ABSTRACT

The gravity sedimentation of three narrow-sized fractions of suspensions of magnetite particles exposed to magnetic fields ranging from 0 to 180 x 10-4 T was studied experimentally. At volumetric solids concentrations in excess of 15%, the magnetized suspensions of magnetite with size fractions ranging from -75 to +38 μm settled more slowly than the non-magnetized suspensions. However, owing to relatively weak magnetic interaction, the sedimentation of the magnetized and non-magnetized -38 μm size fractions was similar.