Van Dykspruit is a mine located east of Cullinan with a 5 million tonne weathered granite sand resource in situ. AST is supplying washed sand of - 8mm + 75µ from site with less than 3% sub 75µ material (clay).
Typical feed grading from the resource is assumed to be 100% passing 1.18mm and 13% passing 75µ. AST uses CDE hydro-cyclone technology and delivers high quality washed sand of all sizes above 75µ.
Methodology: Samples were split into two aliquots and pulverised. One aliquot was micronized and analysed by XRD using the Panalytical X’pert Pro diffractometer which employs Co-Ka radiation. The second aliquot was also analysed by XRD and then glycolated and reanalysed, and heat treated and reanalysed (to identify swelling clays and distinguishing phases such as chlorite and kaolinite). Data was interpreted by Panalytical Highscore Plus software with the PanICSD database.
Results: The results of the XRD analyses are listed in the Table on this page (click to open) and shows the diffractograms obtained in the analysis.
The mineral quartz is the main constituent of all four samples. Sample C has the highest proportion of kaolinite with a percentage abundance of 16.5% and Sample B contains the least amount of kaolinite with a percentage abundance of 5.5%. Minor proportions of hematite and anatase are also present in all four samples.