Pre-feasibility study of improving quality of low-grade fluorite. A case study at Phanomthuan deposit, Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Abstract

In this study was presented the pre-feasibility study of improving quality of low-grade fluorite from Phanomthuan deposit, Kanchanaburi province, Thailand. The purpose of this study aims to explore the optimal condition in order to remove the impurities which contained high SiO2, CaCO3 and other minerals, also evaluate the project in term of economic. Therefore, the improvement quality of fluorite by using froth flotation techniques was reach the ceramic grade. The raw material characterization contains CaF2 = 29.4 Wt.%, SiO2 = 43.9 Wt.% and CaCO3 = 6.9 Wt.%. After flotation process the optimal condition result which contains CaF2 = 96.46 Wt.%, SiO2 = 2.1 Wt.%, and CaCO3 = 0.7 Wt. %. Moreover, the financial analysis indicated that this project possibly to invest due to the Discount cashflow result were NPV = 377,575,304 baht, Discount rate = 10%, MIRR = 35% and Discount payback period 2 Years.