Avaliação da presença de monazita em concentrado de ilmenita produzido na mina do Guaju (PB)

Ilmenite is a mineral that provides titanium dioxide, which is a white pigmented raw material used mainly in the manufacture of inks and varnishes. The ilmenite concentrate, evaluated in this study, comes from the Guaju's Mine, located in the State of Paraiba ,and operated by the company Millennium Inorganic Chemicals of Brazil S/A. This concentrate contains monazite that is an undesirable contaminant, even in small amounts, for the metallurgical process of pigment manufacture. This study evaluates the manner in which monazite is associated in the ilmenite concentrate. Analyses using microscopy and Scanning Electronic Microscopy indicated that monazite is found as free particles in the ilmenite concentrate, in minuscule concentration.