Madencilik, vol.54, no.1, pp.37-46, 2015 (Scopus)
In this study, magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) synthesis from the leach solution of chromite tailings was researched. After grinding, 62,18% of the chromite (Cr2O3), 20,13% of the iron oxide (Fe2O3) and 62,88% of the manganese oxide (MnO) were removed by single-stage high intensity wet magnetic separation. In order to extract magnesium content in non-magnetic phase, tailings were leached with sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and the leach solution were separated from the residuals which cannot dissolve by filtration. It was detected that solid phase obtained as by-product at optimum conditions was amorphous quartz with 95,75% SiO2 grade by chemical and XRD analyses. The impurities passing through to the leach solution were precipitated by upgrading the solution pH with magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) and purified magnesium sulphate solution was obtained by solid/liquid separation. In the light of XRF and XRD analyses, it was determined that mineral epsomite (MgSO4.7H2O) was synthesized from the purified magnesium sulphate solution by controlled heating at 90-100°C.