Investigation of Iron Ore Beneficiation Using Magnetic Separation and Gravity Methods on Itakpe Ore, Kogi State

This study investigates the beneficiation of iron ore from the Itakpe deposit in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria, using a combination of magnetic separation and gravity concentration methods. The Itakpe iron ore body is Nigeria's primary developed iron ore reserve and supplies the Ajaokuta Steel Complex, yet the ore's relatively low head grade of approximately 36 percent Fe necessitates effective beneficiation to produce blast furnace-grade concentrate. Run-of-mine ore samples are obtained, crushed, and ground in stages. Wet low-intensity magnetic separation (LIMS) and high-intensity magnetic separation (HIMS) are applied at different grind sizes to recover magnetite and hematite fractions respectively. Gravity concentration using a Wilfley table is tested as a complementary step. Products from each stage are assayed by XRF for iron grade and gangue content. Liberation analysis is performed by mineralogical examination at 75 and 45 micrometre grind sizes. Results show that a two-stage LIMS and HIMS circuit at 75 micrometre grind produces a concentrate assaying 63 percent Fe at 82 percent iron recovery, meeting DRI pellet feed specifications. Gravity separation of the LIMS tailing recovers an additional 8 percent of the iron reporting to the original tailing. The study provides processing data supporting the optimisation of Itakpe ore beneficiation circuits. Keywords: iron ore beneficiation, magnetic separation, Itakpe, Kogi State, iron concentrate.