Levigation - a technique to concentrate the ore

Levigation is a process of concentration of ore in which the ore is subjected to the gravitational forces of water in a tilted and shallow trough. This technique utilizes the density difference between the ore and the impurity to concentrate the ore.

Explanation:

The process of levigation involves the following steps:

1. The crushed ore is placed in a shallow trough.

2. A stream of water is directed onto the surface of the ore.

3. The ore and impurities have different densities, and as a result, the impurities are washed away by the water, leaving the heavier ore behind.

4. The ore is then collected at the bottom of the trough, while the impurities are carried away by the water.

5. This process is repeated several times until the ore is concentrated enough for further processing.

Levigation is generally used for the concentration of heavy oxide ores such as cassiterite (SnO2), haematite (Fe2O3), and rutile (TiO2).

Advantages of Levigation:

1. Levigation is a simple and inexpensive process.

2. It can be used for the concentration of a wide range of ores.

3. It is an effective method for the concentration of heavy oxide ores.

4. It is a less energy-consuming process.

Disadvantages of Levigation:

1. Levigation is not suitable for the concentration of lighter ores.

2. It is a slow process and requires a lot of time for the concentration of the ore.

3. The method is not very efficient in the case of ores having a very low density difference.

Conclusion:

Levigation is a simple and effective method for the concentration of heavy oxide ores. It utilizes the density difference between the ore and impurities to concentrate the ore. Although it has some limitations, it is still used in some cases for the concentration of ores.