U.S.-Egypt Cooperative Research: Recovery of Phosphates from Their Wastes by Column Flotation

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Description: This award is for support of a cooperative project by a US team headed by Dr. Hassan El-Shall, Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Associate Director of Research in the NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Particle Science & Technology at the University of Florida and an Egyptian team headed by Dr. Aziza A. Youssef, Professor of Mineral Technology, Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute (CMRDI) in Cairo, Egypt. The ERC and CMRDI teams plan to conduct a systematic study using more efficient techniques to recover phosphate values from tailings from beneficiation of phosphates in Egypt. Beneficiation of Egyptian phosphate produces tailings, which are disposed of, despite the fact that they contain fine phosphate, whose grades are higher than plant feed in many other parts of the world. Because of its fine size and clay content, mechanical cells can not recover such materials. Flotation techniques such as column flotation will be studied as methods for recovery of fine phosphates from tailings. A small pilot plant will be developed in this project and would be available for small industries in Egypt for further evaluation of other materials. Scope: This award will allow collaboration between Egyptian and US scientists who have complementary capabilities which are needed to carry out the proposed research. The CMRDI will carry out specific tasks including surveys of resources and needs in Egypt, sample collection and characterization, the construction of a pilot scale column, pilot testing and model evaluation, as well as economic evaluation. The ERC will carry out parametric studies, model development and optimization, and will work with the CMRDI on training of Egyptian personnel. The two collaborating teams are well qualified and experienced in the area of material processing. The US team is especially experienced in fine particulate studies and processing. This proposal meets the INT objective of increasing US-foreign collaboration in areas that benefit both sides. This project is being supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to carry out these cooperative activities.