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Characterization of the Sand of Brahmaputra River of Bangladesh

Md. Aminur Rahman
Institute of Mining, Mineralogy and Metallurgy (IMMM), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Science Laboratory Road, Khonjonpur, Joypurhat

Pradip Kumar Biswas
Institute of Mining, Mineralogy and Metallurgy (IMMM), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Science Laboratory Road, Khonjonpur, Joypurhat

Mohammad Nazim Zaman
Institute of Mining, Mineralogy and Metallurgy (IMMM), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Science Laboratory Road, Khonjonpur, Joypurhat

Md. Yunus Miah
Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dr. Qudrat-I-Khuda Road, Dhanmondi,Dhaka 1205

Tofazzal Hossain
Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dr. Qudrat-I-Khuda Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205

S. M. Imamul Huq
Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dr. Qudrat-I-Khuda Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The aim of this paper is to study on the mineralogy, morphology, magnetic property and composition of the sand of Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh. The sand has been collected from randomly selected seven places and separated by High Intensity Rolling Magnetic Separator into three fractions, viz. magnetic, para-magnetic and non-magnetic parts. The identifications of the valuable heavy minerals existing in these fractions have been performed. The valuable heavy minerals in the separated fractions have been counted under reflected and polarizing microscope and it is found that the magnetic fraction contains ilmenite, magnetite and garnet. The major grain size fraction of the magnetic fraction is 125 - 250 μm (57.18%). Zircon, rutile, xenotime, monazite, sillimanite etc. have been counted in other two fractions. X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Isodynamic Separator have been applied for mineral assessment and to quantify the relative proportion of mineral species.

Keywords: Brahmaputra, Magnetite, Sediment, Ilmenite, Rutile

Location:

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Land degradation

Objectives:

The newly developed sand bars of the Brahmaputra basin to find out the percentage and morphology, mineralogy of valuable heavy minerals present together with the chemical compositions

Methodology:

The samples seven in number are collected from 1 m depth. The samples have been separated at 60 rpm (magnetic fraction) and 140 rpm (paramagnetic fraction) speed by High Intensity Rolling Magnetic separator. Each sample (100 g) is sieved through a sieve shaker (US sieve 35, 60, 120, 230 and 325) after removing organic matter from the samples by washing several times with 1N HCl followed by distilled water. The visual identification of heavy minerals in the fractions was made by using a polarizing microscope and binocular microscope (under transmitted and reflected light). The every mineral countable in the sample (opaque: such as ilmenite and transparent: such as Zircon, Kyanite, etc.) were estimated by counting a minimum of 200 grains by the ribbon method as described by Mange and Maurer (1991). The mineralogical studies of heavy fractions were also carried out by the Powder XRD analysis and the elemental compositions of heavy fractions were determined by the XRF analysis For XRD analysis, a Philips PANalytical X'Pert Pro MPD (PW3040) automated powder diffractometer equipped with a Cu-Kα radiation source operated at 40 KV-30 mA was used. The selected scan range was 10-80o with a step size of 0.020o and counting time of 0.50 s. The digital data were interpreted by auto matching with the data available in 'X'Pert High Score Plus' software of the XRD system used. The elemental compositions were determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) Spectrometric method using Rigaku ZSX Primus XRF machine equipped with an end window 4 KW RH - Anode X-ray tube operated at 40 KV - 60 mA for heavy elements and 30 KV - 100 mA for light elements. A standard procedure was followed to make sample for XRF analysis (Goto and Tatsumi 1994, 1996).

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(2), 167-172, 2012

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The present study shows the magnetic properties of the sand of Brahmaputra River and identifies it as a source of Fe and Ti bearing minerals magnetite and ilmenite which are economically valuable and huge demand in the international market. The Al, K, Mg, Si bearing minerals (e.g. olivine, pyroxene, hornblende, mica etc.) can not be separated easily by physical separation method and are less economically valuable in contrast with magnetite and ilmenite through physical separation. It is found that the magnetic fraction is important because the concentration of valuable minerals in it is high and can be separated easily from other two fractions. The concentration of valuable heavy minerals in the sand of the Brahmaputra river is remarkable. The heavy minerals ilmenite (5.95%), garnet (8.84%), magnetite (4.65%) are enriched in the magnetic fraction while zircon (1.42%), rutile (1.36%) are enriched in the non-magnetic fraction. On the basis of the minerals ilmenite and magnetite as main products and other minerals zircon, rutile, garnet, sillimanite etc. may be bi-product; a mine and a mineral separation plant can be developed in the Nagaswari Thana of Kurigram district where the Brahmaputra river enters Bangladesh. For this purpose, a comprehensive study is required to assess the reserve estimation and have to setup a pilot plant before establishing a mine and mineral separation plant.

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