Recovery of Manganese from Manganese Ore Processing Tailings by High-Intensity Magnetic Separation

The increasing volumes of mining and mineral processing tailings and the declining quality of natural manganese ores have intensified interest in the recovery of valuable components from previously accumulated processing wastes. In this study, the efficiency of dry high-intensity magnetic separation for manganese concentration from manganese ore processing tailings generated during the processing of manganese ores in the Ulytau Region of the Republic of Kazakhstan was investigated. According to chemical analysis, the initial sample contained 9.81% Mn, 3.01% Fe, and 60.57% SiO2. A representative sample was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Dry magnetic separation tests were performed using a PC-B 12/10-12.018–2012 belt magnetic separator at magnetic field intensities ranging from 0.33 to 0.90 T. It was established that manganese in the initial material was predominantly associated with weakly magnetic minerals, which accounts for the effectiveness of high-intensity magnetic separation. As a result, a magnetic concentrate was obtained with a yield of 27.60%, a Mn content of 25.89%, and a Mn recovery of 72.84%. According to the chemical analysis, the manganese content increased from 9.81% in the initial material to 25.89% in the magnetic product, corresponding to an enrichment ratio of approximately 2.64. At the same time, the SiO2 content decreased from 60.57% to 34.02%, indicating effective separation of the silicate gangue. The results confirm the potential of dry high-intensity magnetic separation for processing manganese ore processing tailings and producing a marketable concentrate with minimal water consumption.