Mechanical Activation Of Nodular Phosphates In Karakalpakstan

Abstract

This study investigates the mechanical activation of two types of phosphorite rocks from Karakalpakstan: Khojakul and Porlitau. The mechanical activation was conducted in a planetary ball mill (ball-to-sample ratio of 10:1, 200 rpm) for durations ranging from 5 to 60 minutes. Increasing the grinding time led to an increase in the amount of assimilable P₂O₅ in both rock types. For Khojakul, the relative solubility of P₂O₅ in 2% citric acid increased from 38.3% to 48.8%, and in 0.2 M EDTA from 32.6% to 38.7%. For Porlitau, these indicators increased from 36.9% to 44.1% and 33.4% to 37.6%, respectively. These results confirm that Khojakul phosphorite responds more effectively to mechanical activation due to its fine structure and the weakness of the apatite-gangue bond. The lower reactivity of Porlitau is attributed to its high CO₂ (carbonate) content, which buffers the acid's effect and reduces phosphate dissolution.