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INB Buena - Monazitic Sands Treatment
The Buena Unit, located in the Municipality of São Francisco de Itabapoana, is responsible for the prospection and research, mining, industrialization and marketing of heavy minerals popularly known as "monazitic sands". The phases related to the Ores Physical Treatment are processed in this unit, and these include mining, hydrogravimetric concentration and subsequent dry separation (physical separation through electrostatic, magnetic and gravimetric processes). The ore is processed at the hydrogravimetric concentration obtaining the heavy concentrate. The sterile material goes back to the recomposition of the mined soil. Next, the final phase of this process is carried out at the Dry Separation Unit, obtaining then the ilmenite, zirconite and rutile that are marketed at this point - besides monazite that is sent for processing and obtaining of rare-earths elements at INB CALDAS. Important products can be obtained from these sands, used by the industry, such as: ilmenite (iron titanate) - rutile (titanium dioxide) - zirconite (zircon silicate) - monazite (rare earths phosphate).: ilmenite (iron titanate) - rutile (titanium dioxide) - zirconite (zircon silicate)- monazite (rare earths phosphate). Because they are mineral reserves formed by the regression of the sea - paleobeach - the extraction of the ore and recomposition of the mined soil are concurrently made with no major impact on the environment, in such way that the area worked can not be distinguished from the existing ones cleared for planting, pastures and other purposes. There are only two heavy minerals deposits in operation in Brazil. The one in Buena and the other in Mataraca belonging to the Millenium Group. |
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