A STUDY ON THE CONCENTRATION TESTS AND BENEFICIATION

OF THE ULUDAĞ TUNGSTEN ORE

Dr. Raşit TOLUN

INTRODUCTION : rhotite and magnetite) granitic-lime-

Wolfram is, in the real sense of the stone contact ore occurence of the Kuz-
word, the strategic metal of our age. budaklar-Delice Köy region, 10-12
Up to the turn of the century this me- kms. south of Uludağ, while prospecting
tal had practically no commercial value, radioactive and rare minerals (1,2).M.T.A.
and it was after the manufacturing of decided to stake the wolfram occurren-
high - speed steel cutters exhibited at ce in Bursa in 1951; the author and
the Paris exposition in 1900 that the N. Danışman went to this district and
wolfram metal gained importance. Wolf- observed that mineralization has spread
ram has the highest fusion degree on a large area along the contact. In
(3410° C) among metals, and hence, this examining also the Uludağ massif
led to its use in the filaments of elec- (mountain) (3) they have f o u n d scheeli-
tric bulbs, which consume o n l y 1 % tic (CaWO 4 ) tactite outcrops, occurring
of the wolfram products. in the granite - marble contact near the
summit (photo 1). The rich and large
An important consumption line of and the most promising outcrop, south-
the wolfram metal is the manufacture west of the Çayırlı Dere Lake, has been
of such tools as drill bits, cutters, sha- later on the basis of No. 1 exploration
pers, etc., as wolfram carbide is the pit (photo 2).
hardest of the artificial materials. Armor
Here the pits went through an ore,
piercing shells treated with wolfram
65 m. in length and averaging 1.54 %
carbide were responsible for many WO3.
unexpected results in tank battles
during World War II. GEOGRAPHIC POSITION

Today wolfram plays an important The mineralization area is situated

strategic part in the application of high- at an elevation of 2100-2300 m. north-
temperature resisting steel used in jet east of the western summit of Uludağ-
planes, gas turbines etc., because no (elevation 2486 m.) which is one of the
other metal can substitute it in this highest mountains of the north-west-
respect. ern Anadolu. The area is 15-16 kms.
distant from the city of Bursa at bird's
HISTORY
flight and has an access to the city by
The author of this report saw a 44 kms. road, part of which is
wolfram minerals in the province of asphalt paved. There is a good road 32
Bursa first in 1950, scheelite minerals kms. in length from Bursa to Mudan-
in the outcrops of (molybdenite, pyr- ya, the port of export of the former.

106
 GEOLOGY netite, scheelite, wolframite, blende,
fluorspar and apatite have been at the
The Uludağ massif consists of a
above sequence order observed under
big anticline, 40 kms. long and 20 kms.
microscopic examinations. Parallel to
wide, WNW-ESE and sloping gently
the granitic contact the tactite lenses,
towards the south (4).
which form bands in the limestones and
The main structure of the moun- which are generally separated from the
tain comprises of crystalline schists and floor zone by limestones, are poor in
granitic plutons. The paleozoic marbles average scheelite content as compared
forming the summits in the region to the said zone, but are in large num-
prove to be a secondary syncline. ber so far as the reserve is oncerned.
The tactite lenses contain the following
Intrusions (5) of granitic plutons
minerals (sequence order according
making up the nucleus of the massif,
to the quantity hereof): garnet, diopside,
contact the limestone along an area of
quartz, calcite, tremolite, epidote, pyrite,
4 kms. south of Kuşaklıkaya from the
magnetite, limonite, scheelite, actinolite,
Çayırlı Dere Lake, in the northern fluorspar, hematite, blende, chalcopy-
part of this syncline, thereby giving rite, chlorite, malachite, apatite, and
rise in several parts consisting of sulpho- bismuthite of lead (please refer
contact minerals (Photo 1). The largest to special supplemental tests).
of the tactite masses and the richest,
so far as the scheelite content is con- Proven Reserves :
cerned, are the occurrences from Çayır- The investigations (8) have estab-
lı Dere Lake (photo 2). This region is lished that there are 10 000 000 tons of
the east end of the granite-limestone proven reserves averaging 0.434 % of
contact at the surface, which contact WO3; of which reserves 3 000 000 tons
plunges under the gneiss, amphibolite- are in the lower zone (ore - bearing
limestone contact zone towards the east. limestone granite) with an average of
From the genesis point of view, the 0.618 % WO3 and 7 000 000 tons at the
occurrence appears to be a contact-pneu- upper zone (tactite) averaging 0.356 %
matolithic and a high hydro - thermal WO8.
formation.
Probable Reserves;
Structure of the Scheelite Occur-
The estimation of the proven re-
rence :
serves referred to above, is limited to
We have, by drilling and by open- the areas where drilling has been car-
ing pits, established in the scheelitic ried out. The masses continue towards
scarn occurrence areas of the Çayırlı the east along the contact zone. During
Dere, at a depth of over 100 meters, a exploitations it will be necessary to
granitic-limestone contact gently slop- explore by drilling this area which pro-
ing towards the south and to the east. bably constitutes the larger part of the
The upper part of the granite has reserves.
undergone metasomatosis and abounds It will be proper to point out here
in scheelite. Following that there is that new reserves can be explored by
the so - called floor zone which does detail prospections based on what is
not contain tactite. Calcite, quartz, felds- seen in the granite-limestone contacts
par, tremolite, muscovite, pyrite, mag- of the neighbourhood.

107
 Comparison of these Reserves tion process. With a view to making
with the World Reserves : use as much as possible of the domes-
The following tabulation is illust- tic reserves, the USA has fixed the
rative of the countries where there are prices when these were the highest
important wolfram reserves and of the guaranteed, to pay them by 1958. There-
tonnage of the reserves in terms of fore the price of the domestic wolf-
60 % WO3 concentrates : ram ore in the USA is about twice as
high as that of the wolfram ores im-
ported from abroad. Consequently the
wolfram ore handling plants in the
USA may use, to get higher yields, as
much as possible cost raising methods
(such as flotation - chemical solution),
whereas the other countries often make
sacrifices from yields so that the cost
Despite the fact that the above fig- price might be low.
ures are based on the information fur-
nished in 1938 - 1945, it gives us a fair We have conducted the tests always
idea thereon. By producing 60 % WO3 by methods permitting industrial pro-
concentrate with an approximate reco- duction.
very of 70 %, 50 000 metric tons of
wolfram concentrate can be produced Samples, Basis of the Tests:
from the 10 000 000 proven ore reser- In discussing the geological struc-
ves at Uludağ. According to the table ture of the occurrence, it was pointed
Turkey ranks fourth in the wolfram out that the upper zone contained ore-
reserves of the world, after China, bearing tactite and that the lower zone
U.S.A. and Burma. contained ore - bearing limestones and
Reserves proven in 1950 by drillings, granites. The lower zone has been stu-
of the King Island Wolfram mine, died only by drillings. Of the upper
which is actually mined and is k n o w n area, 3 kinds of samples (garnetic,
to be the largest scheelite occurrence, pyritic and limonitic) of ores bearing
has a reserve of 2 625 000 tons (0.64 % tactite have been picked - up, as based
WO3) (10). Whereas in the lower zone on their mineralogical structures. Alt-
of Uludağ alone, 3 000 000 tons of ore hough it seems impossible to handle
nearly of the same grade have been these three ores separately, yet it has
proven to exist. Consequently the wol- been deemed proper to study them
fram mine in Uludağ is one of the
separately with a view to obtaining
largest scheelite mines of the world.
comparative work results in the con-
Concentration of Scheelite : centration tests.
The fact that the minimum pres- As the garnet scarn type consti-
cribed for the sales of scheelite con- tutes 60 %-70 % of the ore of the upper
centrates is 55 % — 65 % WO3, and zone, this type has been taken as a basis.
that the grade of the workable ore is The pyritic tactites form 20 % - 30 %
about 0.4 %, suffices to show that it and the limonitic tactites, hardly 10 %
would not be easy to obtain economic- of the ores. The average density is
ally higher yield from the concentra- 3.35 (8).

108
 No test has been made on the lower The above figures show that the
zone ores; however according to the sterile pieces are not sterile in the very
mineralogical determinations, inasmuch sense of the word, and that they con-
as 80-90 % of the ore is quartz, calcite tain higher WO3 than the plant resudie,
and feldspar and since the presence but in consideration of the fact that
of such minerals (non-magnetic heavy the quantity is only 1 % of the ore
oxide minerals) hampering concentra- handled at the plant it should be dis-
tion, has not been detected, a plant to regarded for the Uludağ ore.
handle the upper zone ores can easily Preparation of the Average Sample:
handle the lower zone ores.
For chemical analysis the ore in its
The lower zone contains also wol- entirety has been reduced by the
framite (Fe, Mn WO4). Therefore the cone and quarter method and crushed
ratio of this mineral to scheelite has in the jaw - crusher to 28 6 mm., 6.68
to be determined in the first place, and mm., and in the crushing rolls to 2 mm.
should the presence of wolframite prove and the portion to be analysed ground
to be significant, then it would be in the disc - pulverizer.
better to handle the lower zone ore in
The chemical analysis of the ave-
the plant, but separately, as if handled rage sample is as follows:
with the ore-bearing tactite, the wolf-
ramite will be separeted on the mag-
netic separator together with garnet.

Study of the Samples Containing

Garnet:

729 kg. of ore collected from the

18 th meter of pit No. 2, were, without
breaking or grinding for average
samples, picked under ultra - violet lamp
Mineralogical Structure of the Ore:
at the onset of the concentration for
the separation of the sterile ores. To 80 % of the minerals consist of
serve this purpose, pieces larger than garnet, diopside and tremolite (photos
3 and 4). The additional minerals are
7 cm. were well washed with water and
picked with the ultra-violet ray. As 90 % found in the f o l l o w i n g sequence
order: quartz, calcite, pyrite, blende,
of the scheelite crystals are smaller
epidote, magnetite, scheelite, limonite,
than 2 m/m this operation was rather
hematite, actinolite, chlorite, heden-
difficult; the results obtained thereform bergite and chalcopyrite. Malachite,
are as follows: fluorspar and apatite are rarely obser-
ved.

Separation of Scheelite :
From a comparison of the densi-
ties of these minerals it is clear that
these minerals can be separated gravi-
metrically from seheelite :

109
 Grain Liberation :
With a view to determining the
liberation and the breaking up of the
scheelite during grinding, which plays
an important part in the selection and
application of ore dressing methods,
an average sample has been ground so
as to pass through 10-mesh (1.651 mm)
sieve, The sieve analysis and the WO3
percentages are as follows :

The methods applied in the indus-

try are based on this principle. Conse-
quently, the scheelite concentrate ob-
tained by this method contains in ample
quantities minerals whose densities are
over 4. Therefore for the preparations
of these minerals a second process is
required. The easiest way to separate
pyrite and the other sulphides is no
doubt flotation. Another way which is
most frequently practiced in industry
Examination of the WO3 content
is the roasting method, whereby these
shows to us that scheelite breaks up uni-
sulphides become magnetic. With the formly along with the other minerals
exception of malachite all other heavy during the grinding process. Dispersal
minerals can be removed by a magne- of quantities in between the sieve
tic separator. shows that the ore is subject to a nor-
On the other hand, as it will be mal breaking up; however, the parts
seen from the degrees of hardness of which went through the 325 - mesh sieve
these minerals, the soft scheelite cry- can be considered to be schlamm in
stals which will be subject to grinding the gravimetric table concentration,
among abrasive minerals such as quartz, which part corresponds to 1/10 of the
ore.
garnet and epidote are suitable to yield
slime in ample quantity. The binocular microscopic examin-
ation of the grains has shown that
As for the concentration of very these grains must be ground so as
small particles this can be made only to pass through the 28 - mesh sieve in
by means of flotation. In the U. S. A. order that over 90 % of the scheelite
establishment of the wolfram prices at crystals may be set free (photos 5 and
higher levels enabled the application 6).
of flotation and chemical methods which
are costlier but which keep the yield Tabling, Flotation and Magnetic
high. Whereas in other countries flo- Separation Tests :
tation is only applied to recover fine 10 kg. of ore were crushed in the
and high grade residues. jaw - crusher to a size of 6 mm. which

110
ill turn was ground, in the crushing
rolls, to go through 28-mesh (0.589
mm.) sieve.

Following this process, they were

The ore was divided into 3 parts, passed twice through the Wetherhill
namely, + 65 mesh sieve product + type magnetic band separator
200-mesh sieve product and under 200
mesh sieve product, to be tested on the 1) Magnetite concentrate
table. 2) Garnet »
The middlings obtained by tabling has been obtained, then,
were washed a second time, thus yiel- In the magnetic spiral separator
ding 3 types of products: scheelite con
(Rillenscheider, Godderidge - Lorenz,
centrate abounding in garnet (WO3 15
% - 20 %), middling and residue. Elektromnschinen Bau Ges., Graz)
As the middlings actually contain 3) Rillen middling
free scheelite crystals, in industrial which contained the other slightly mag-
practice they will be rebrought on the netic minerals, fine garnet and some
table, without being ground (for tests fine scheelite and which would be
Denver Equipment Co's Wilfley No. 12 re-washed in the industrial practice
Vibrating Table has been made use of). and the non-magnetic part
The following reagents were used in 4) Scheelite concentrates have been
removing pyrite and such sulphides as
blende, chalcopyrites etc. from the con- produced.
centrates and the latter was handled in The results obtained are tabulated
0.5 kg Fagergren laboratory cell. as follows :

111
 Study of the foregoing tables shows
that the concentration of the + 200
mesh sieve grains would yield a mini-
mum of 70 % recovery excluding the
mixed ore. The concentrates contain 75
% of WO3. In trying to obtain 60 %
WO3 concentrate which percentage is
the percentage called forfor sales, the
recovery will be higher.
Although the concentration reco-
very of the - 200 mesh sieve is low, yet
it affects little the general recovery as Tests on Pyrite Bearing Tactite
this ore corresponds to 1/5 of the raw Ores :
ore. When the wolfram prices are
Structure of this ore picked from
favourable it will be possible to dress the 69.60 metres of the pit No. 3, is the
this fine residue by means of flotation
same as that of the garnet bearing ore,
(please see last tests).
the only difference is the fact that this
If we combine these test results ore contains slightly more pyrite. The
we get samples weighing 857 kgs. and received

The recovery is 75.12 %, middlings in 23 bags, have been broken and re-
included. The Scheelite concentrate is duced to a size in the same manner as
very clean and free from foreign described above, the average samples
matters causing penalties, and contains obtained therefrom.
fine garnet and other silicate crystals The chemical analysis of this ore
and a few pyrite grains. is as follows :
The magnetite concentrate con-
tains more than 60 % of iron and will
be stoked as an iron ore. The pyrite
concentrate will also be separated for
ore-dressing in the future.
Andradite - Grossular isomorphic
mixture grains of garnet make up
more than 95 % of the garnet concent-
rate which be used as abrasives in the
The screen test of the ore ground
industry, and contains in lesser quan-
in the crushing rolls to pass through
tities magnetite, hematite, limonite, limo- a 10 - mesh (1.65 mm ) sieve, for the
nitised pyrite, tremolite, epidote, schee- grain liberation and WO3 content
lite and wolframite. is as follows:

112
 From the grain liberation view should not exceed 0.5 %. Therefore,
point, this ore yields better results. In the concentrate has been roasted in a
tests to be made on 20 or 28 mesh-sie- sealed container for 15 minutes at a
ves more than 90 % of the scheelite temperature of 650° 0 (in the rotary
crystals will be free whereas study on kilns; 5 minutes suffice for this opera-
the WO3 content will show that scheelite tion). At this temperature the pyrite
in this ore is ground easily. crystals covered with magnetite oxyde
Test made on the ore prepared so layer were separated easily from schee-
as to pass through the 20 mesh sieve: lite in the magnetic separator.
1 — 10 kgs. of ore were crushed in the The results of this process are
tabulated below (A)
cylinder crusher and ground in the
disc pulverizer so as to pass completely The recovery, together with the
through a 20 - mesh sieve and remo- middlings, is 78.47 %.
ved from the light minerals by washing When the roasting mixture was ad-
in the Wilfley vibrating table. Pyrite ded to the concentrate, no significant
was separated from the table concent- decrease was observed in the content
rate via flotation. The flotation residue but the recovery increased a lot.
was passed through the Wetherhill mag- WO3 64.00 %
netic separator and magnetite and gar- Recovery 68.19 %
net concentrates were obtained. Follo- 2 — Disregarding flotation of the
wing that Rillen middling (containing pyrite, a second test has been made on
some scheelite along with fine garnet another sample taken from the same
and the silicates) was separated in the zone, and to reduce the quantity of the
magnetic spiral separator. table middlings, the ore was ground to
The sales conditions of the concent- have a - 28 mesh sieve product.
rates require among others, that the The results obtained from this test
percentage of the sulphur content are shown below (B)

113
 Together with the middlings, the Sieve analysis and WO3 percentages
recovery is 81 37 %. of the sample passing through 10-
The foregoing test results show mesh sieve.
that as the roasting middlings are high
grade, scheelite in ample quantities
would be back in the process cycle.
Limonitic Samples :
The limonitic samples picked up
from the 48.50 meter of pit No. 1 re-
present hardly 1/10 of the tactite ores
of the upper part of the Uludağ ore
beds. These samples differ from the for- The finer portions of this sample
mer ones in that they contain more are low in WO3 content, which shows
schlamm, because the pyrite and the that scheelite is less affected by oxida-
chalcopyrites in these samples have, tion and that the scheelite keeps its
due to oxidation, turned respectively compaction.
into limonites and malachites. The Grain liberation has been determin-
limonitic samples are richer than the ed to be 20 mesh (0.833 mm).
former samples in so far as the scheelite
content is concerned. Despite the fact Concentration tests:
that their copper and zinc (carbonates) The ore found to pass through 20-
content is high, yet, this is not im- mesh sieve, has been washed at the
portant, as these will be processed by shaking table, than dried and then
blending them with ores coming from passed through the magnetic separator
the other zone. The chemical analysis and finally roasted in the closed con-
of these samples is as follows : tainer 15 minutes at a temperature of
650° C, left to cool and then passed
once more through the magnetic sepa-
rator.
The results obtained are shown
below.
Recovery, middlings included, is
78.53 %.
Since there was not enough pyrite
in the table concentrate, flotation has
not been carried out. (Following the
roasting procedure the limonites and
the pyrites were removed by the mag-
netic separator.) The garnet on the

114
35 - mesh sieve, contained scheelite that 20 % of WO3 goes under the 200-
mixed crystals; these were separated mesh sieve.
and analyzed.
Concentration test :
There remained some malachite in
the concentrate. Cu has been fixed to Results of tests conducted on 10
be 0.42 %, which percentage should kgs. of ore passed through 28-mesh
not be over 0.05 sales. However as this sieve are shown below.
ore corresponded to a minor portion Recovery, middlings included, is
of the reserves, we did not try to re- 76.08 (Roasting middlings was removed
move the copper and to increase the on the magnetic spiral separator).
grade of WO3. Impurities in the scheelite concen-
Mixed Blend Sample Tests : trate :
By weighing and blending samples Mo 0.47 % (isomorphic dissemination
in scheelite crystals)
of each zone in the ratio at which
Cu 0.03 % (Malachite crystals)
they represent the general ore mass a
proper blend specimen corresponding S 0.71 % (due to unburnt pyrite)
mineralogically to the upper zone of The molybdenum and copper con-
the Uludağ ore mines was prepared. tents of the concentrate meet the sales
Therefore requirements thereof. As for the sul-
7 kgs of Garnetic sample phur percentage, this can be reduced
2 » » Pyritic » under 0.50 % by increasing the roast-
1 » » Limonitic » ing temperature, or by roasting the
concentrate after removing pyrite by
were blended, ground, to pass under means of flotation.
a 28-mesh sieve and tested. The test
More than 75 % of wolfram in the
gave the following results :
table tailing, which is thrown away,
Sieve analysis and WO3 distri- forms part of the fine portion (0.100 mm)
bution : which passed under 150 mesh-sieve.
So far as the W03 grade is concerned,
the ore exceeds 0.434 % WO3 which
percentage is a general average.
Final test made on ore corres-
ponding to the general average :
The mixed blend sample has been
mixed with poor grade WO3 (0.1 % WO3)
and a test sample representing the ge-
neral average in grade was prepared
these results prove to us that the and underwent the following treate-
ore undergoes a normal grinding and ment:

115
116
 The sample was crushed in the part, the slime in this part was remo-
cylinder crusher to pass through a ved by Wailiing and the remainder
28-mesh sieve. The parts which passed underwent flotation, whereby first of
and which did not pass through a 150 all the sulphides were removed and
mesh sieve were treated separately. then the scheelite floated with oleic acid.
The heavy minerals were twice The concentrate yielded by flota-
washed in the Wilfley Vibrating Table tion was treated with 1 kg. of Na2 SiO3
and from the concentrate so obtained and 1/2 kg. Quebracho per ton of cone,
the sulphides were also removed by and underwent once again gravimetric
means of flotation. The concentrate concentration in the superpanner, and
dried after the flotation went through separated into two parts, namely the
the Wetherhill and magnetic spiral sepa- rich and poor grades. The former grades
rators and the scheelite concentrate will be roasted at 750°C and added
was produced. By roasting the pyrites to the concentrate, satisfying the mar-
which remained in the scheelite concent- ket requirements.
rates in little quantities (3 % - 6 % ) for
15 minutes at a temperature of 750°C, As for the poor grade concentrate,
concentrate for the market was pro- since wolfram in this concentrate can
duced. be extracted only by means of che-
mical (dissolution) methods, which are
As there was much scheelite in the costlier, they will be stockpiled for the
table residue of the -150 - mesh sieve time being.

The analysis results and recoveries are summarized in the following tables:

117
 Recovery, flotation concentrates inc- Test conducted on poor grade ore:
luded: 77.10 %
Grade of samples taken from the
Recovery middlings included: left of pit No. 3 is 0.10 % WO .
81.03 %. 3

a) Sulphur remained at 0.57 % in The recovery, middlings included,

the concentrate, after the concentrate is 71.51 %. A major portion of scheeli-
was roasted at 750°C. te running from the table concentrate,
Therefore it is essential to see that is - 200 mesh; however, in consideration
the temperature does not go below that of the fact that the grade of the ore is
figure. very poor and hence the table recovery
b) Slime loss may be less in in- would be low, removal was made by a
dustrial practice. mesh sieve.
c) The pyrite concentrate can be
evaluated in the future (as the presen- The grade of the scheelite concen-
ce of Zn : 15.30 %, Au: trace, Ag: 410 trate does not meet sales requirements
g/ton has been detected). but it is remarkable that with a very
d) Scheelite crystals in the flota- poor ore containing 0.10 % WO3,the re-
tion concentrate can go through a 200 covery obtained, was apporximately
mesh sieve. 70 %. The results are tabulated below:

PLANT AND COSTPRICE

Equipment required for the concentrator of a daily capacity of 1000 tons,

according to the proposed flowsheet.

118
120
 Fob. value of the machinery for The above estimate has been made
the plant: $ 770.700 (N. B. the prices based on expenses made (12) for seve-
are 1953 prices, the equipment U. S. ral plants set up in the U.S.A. These
made and taken from Denver Equip-
estimations are standard for the USA.
ment Co's catalogues ; tenders to be
received from Europe will, no doubt, For expenses to be involved in Turkey, it
be much more favourable.) will give us more accurate figures if
we take the value of one dollar, as
Building Costs : double its official rate of exchange.
The location where the plant will
be set up has not as yet been det-
ermined. However it will be best to
erect it somewhere in the neighbour-
hood of the Bursa-İnegöl highway.
The plant will be linked to the high-
way by a 5 km. road.
Building and erection costs of the
plant, whose water requirements will
be supplied by the nearby creek, are
as follows :
Cost of planning the plant and Milling cost :
drawing up of the specifications:
Power required to concentrate 1000
Road (building) $ 5 000 tons of ore per day (3/4 of the total
Earth removal 7 000 HP)
Foundations and Concrete 40 000
Buildings (wooden and steel
sections) 100 000
Roofing, windows, etc. 15 000
Platforms, etc. 15 000
Total 192 000
Machinery (equipment) Fob. 770 700
Freight 100000
Erection 50 000
Transmission 20 000
Piping 15 000
Electrical installation 15 000
Apparatuses 15 000
Engineering 20 000
Total 1 065 000
General expenses 150 000
Grand total 1407700

121
 N.B. This total is nearly the same ration is completed, then an interest
as the daily expenses of the flotation 1 000 000 TL, 10 % of 10 000 000 TL
plant, at the Murgul Copper Mines, capital, for a plant running 333 days a
which plant handles actually 1000 tons year, is daily 3 000 TL.
of ore per day. Total of the daily expenses 23 484 »
General cost price and profit : or 4.329 TL. per ton of concentrate.
A general cost price prevision has N.B. These expenses are slightly
been made by Mr. S. Alpan (8) and this lower than the concentration expenses
prevision estimates the capital requi- of the tungsten mines in the USA.
red to start the processing operations.
Here, we shall try to calcutate the Production :
minimum grade of the ore to yield us
profit therefrom in the light of the By means of a 75 % recovery, 6.425
prices ruling to-day and the minimum tons of 60 % WO3 concentrate can be
cost price to process the average grade obtained per day from 1000 tons of
known to-day. 0-434 % WO 3 grade of ore.

Apart from this

Daily expenses of the min-
ing pit operations 11 474 TL. 20-40 tons of garnet concentrate
Concentrator 8 830 »
1-2 » of sulphides (pyrite, blende,
Compensation for MTA's
expenses 180 » etc).
1-2 » of magnetite
If we figure out the interest on the
capital 10 % maximum for the first will be produced which will be stocked
year, which interest will be less each separately in the yard of the plant and
year until the depreciation of the ope- valued in the future. It is possible to

122
sell the garnet concentrate as abra- showed that these ores are favourable
sives (polishing and cutting powder), for ore-dressing. In view of economic
however, fixation of its price has not considerations, the tests were aimed to
been possible. This product may bring obtain a high recovery. Based on the
in a lot of money if consumers are results yielded from the « Final Test»
found. made on the sample to correspond to
The CIF value of 5 425 tons of the general reserve average, we may
60 % WO3 concentrate is $ 11 482. say that a minimum of 60% WO3 wolfram
($ 32 per unit, $ 2116 per ton), concentrate can be obtained from these
(price of the Metal Market, April 1955) ores by a 75 % recovery.
Which makes: 5425 t. of 60 % WO3conc. Sales of the garnet concentrate to
be produced in ample quantity as by-
5 425 tons of. 32 184 T.L.(*) product, will greatly affect the cost
1 % custom duties 320 » price. Furthermore, magnetite and py-
sea freight 34 TL per ton 184 » rite concentrates will also be produced,
FAS concentrator 31 680 » but in little quantities.
Daily sales 31 680 » Based on the final test, the «Flow
» expenses 23 484 » Diagram» and a list of equipment for
» profit 8296 » a 1 000 ton per day capacity plant to be
Annual profit 2 765 000 » set up have been prepared and a simp-
Profit for the total re- le cost prevision drawn up. Although
serve calculated to last the present day wolfram prices are low,
30 years) 82 960 000 » mining of the Uludağ tungsten ores
will be a profitable one and a source
Therefore to realize a profit on
for bringing in foreign currency which
this concentrate, daily sales of 23 988
cannot be underestimated.
TL CIF value must be made, in which
sales, either the price must be at least - ADDENDUM -
$2.385 per unit, or as long as the price
CONCENTRATION TESTS CONDUCTED
remains $ 32.00 per unit, the grade of ON SAMPLES TAKEN FROM CORES
the ore processed must contain 0.32 %
of WO3. WOLFRAMITE (Fe, Mn) WO4
If we consider this matter from the
The floor zone of the Uludağ Wolf-
view point of foreign currency:
ram Mine, containing metasomatised
Annual WO3 concentrates sales : granites and ore - bearing limestones
$ 3 827 300 could be investigated only by drilling.
Total WO3 cone, sales (calculated Therefore in view of the difficulties
for 30 years) $ 114820000 encountered in taking samples ore
dressing tests could not be made on
These funds would represent an import- this zone.
ant source of foreign currency which
cannot be under estimated. As during the microscopic exa-
mination of certain cores, Dr. Wijkers-
CONCLUSIONS looth has come accross, on (oral infor-
Tests conducted on the tactite ore mation), wolframite among the scheelite
samples of the Uludağ wolfram deposit minerals. It was in the first place impe-
rative to determine the quantitative
ratio of this mineral to scheelite.

123
 Wolframite is in general found to- A new Mineral
gether with scheelite, and encircled by Bursalte: Pb5 Bi4 S11
it. By immersion and magnifications,
This mineral which exists in very
it yields dark infra - red reflections
little quantity in the mineralogical
(Photos 7 and 8). Magnetite constitutes
structure of the Uludağ Wolfram ores
the principal part of the sample. Fur-
and which occurs generally with the
thermore, tremolite, quartz and pyrite zinc blende, has been determined, as
minerals have been observed.
described in the previous reports, as
molybdenite (or tungstenite) since it
Test:
had many common properties with
Some 60 gr. samples have been molybdenite (6,7).
picked from cores taken at a depth of
But since the flotation tests proved
180 - 182 m. of Drilling No. 37, and that the sulphides occurring in the Ulu-
ground to pass under 28 - mesh sieve
dağ ores dit not contain molybdenite,
(0.589 mm).
special emphasis was lain on the deter-
The gangue minerals (quartz and mination of this mineral, and to serve
tremolite) were removed on the super- this purpose a 50 gr. sample has been
panner vibration table and thereafter picked among the most favourable
pyrite separated by flotation. cores taken at a depth of 124-127 m.
(drilling 40).
The part consisting of magnetite,
scheelite and wolframite has been dried Examination of polished sections
and the magnetite removed by means carried out under the ore microscope
of a hand magnet. showed (in the sequence order) blende,
tremolite, pyrite, calcite, garnet, quartz,
Wolframite, generally in the form scheelite, chalcopyrite and the new mi-
of scheelitic mixed grains (Photo 8 ), neral.
has been separated by means of a The zinc blende constitutes the
Wetherhill magnetic separator from the main part of the ore and contains frag-
scheelite which is non-magnetic. ments of chalcopyrites. The new mine-
Scheelite concentrate product 0.100 gr. ral is generally seen in the blende and
Wolframite » » 0.100 gr. in the neighbourhood of it (Photo 9);
sometimes it is also found in the py-
These results prove to us that the rites and gangue minerals. So far as
quantity of wolframite corresponds al- the structural order is concerned chal-
most to that of the scheelite. To get an copyrites, pyrite and blende are young-
average result, is contingent upon con- er than the mineral in question.
ducting large scale tests on average
samples to be taken from this zone. Test :
Should the above test be generalized The 50 gr. sample was ground soas
for the entire bottom zone, it will be to go under 28 - mesh sieve and
necessary to handle the bottom zone underwent selective flotation :
ore apart at the ore-dressing plant, for
if the wolframite bearing ore is con- The following reagents have been
centrated together with the garnet bear- used :
ing ore (upper zone), wolframite will Na2CO3 500 gr/lit.
be separated at the magnetic separator Na 2
SiO3
250 gr/lit.
along with garnet and will be lost. Na CN 50 gr/lit.

124
 ZnSO4 100 gr/lit. Native Bismuth (Bi) 5.48 .%
PH 8.5 Pb5Bi4S11 85.30 %
Condition 15 minutes thus a new mineral Pb5Bi4S11 was found.
Kerosene 30 gr/lit.
Pine Oil 25 gr/lit. Native bismuth has been observed
K-Amyl Xanthate 50 gr/lit. in the form of very small inclusions only
Flotation 5 minutes when polished section were examined
microscopically at magnifications 300 x -
As the blende contained copper, 500 x.
it was mixed in the concentrate, and
the removal had to be repeated (for The chemical composition of the
which the following were used). new mineral has been calculated as :
Na2CO3 500 gr/lit Pb 46.44 %
Na2SiO3 250 gr/lit Bi 37.42 %
NaCN 100 gr/lit S 15.83 %
Zn SO4 100 gr/lit We could not come across, even in
Pine Oil 10 gr/lit the most recently published books at
Flotation 2 minutes hand, to a mineral, the composition of
Examination of the superpanner which was Pb6Bi4S11 or 5 Pb S.2 Bi2S3.
(results) showed that the density of this A similar mineral of antimony is Bou-
mineral was higher than density of langerite (Pb5Sb4S11) which is quite a
scheelite (6.2). Therefore the flotation common mineral.
concentrate was once more washed on
the superpanner and a satisfactorily Mineralogical properties :
pure concentrate (2 grs) obtained for This mineral is metallic grey in
the test. In the final concetrate there colour, prismatic and has a tabular
remained scarcely blende and pyrite. cleavage. Under the ore microscope it
It has been observed under the shows a high reflective power. It is
microscope that the mineral is prisma- pleochroitic and anisotropic.
tic and it has a tabular cleavage. As Under the + nicol it shows an ob-
the hardness degree of the mineral lique extinction; hence its crystalline
is low, the grains are easily rounded form is probably monoclinic, the same
(Photo 10). as its antimony replica Boulangerite.
Chemical Analysis Results : Talmage hardness: C (chalcopyrites).
Pb = 39.62 % X - Ray test results :
Bi = 37.60 %
8 = 17.32 % The most specific feature of this
Fe = 1.98 % mineral could be detected over the
Zn = 3.18 % x-ray and the determination made by
D.A. Reelfs, at the Mineralogical Labo-
99.70 % ratory of the University of Geneva on
Based on the foregoing results, the powder extracted by drills from a clean
mineralogical composition of the con- polished section.
centrate was calculated to be : The following table is illustrative
Pyrite (Fe S2) 4.24 % of (d) values as A° and (i) relative in-
Blende (ZnS) 4.78 % tensities of lines obtained in the photo-

125
metric examination of the x-ray spec- The most strong lines are :
trogram. 3,38(9) ; 2.88(10); 2.05(9)
Photocopy of the photometric cur-
ves has been appended hereto for
comparison pur poses.
As the new mineral is found in
the province of Bursa, it was proper
to name it Bursaite, after the said pro-
vince.
I should like to thank here (1) Dr.
İhsan Topaloğlu for his invaluable
assistance and interest shown in the
execution and checking of the chemi-
cal analyses; (2) Dr. Wijkerslooth who
has greatly helped me in studying the
polished sections and (3) Dr. Suat Erk
for his kind interest and cooperation
in the taking of micro-photos during
my studies on this report.

B I B L I O G R A P H Y

1 — Raşit Tolun : Kuzbudaklar (Bursa) Wolfram ih. 4687 P. 5543, (1950) M. T. A.

Enstitüsü.

2 — Raşit Tolun : Delice köy (Bursa) W o l f r a m ih. 4688. P. 5544 (1950), M. T. A.

Enstitüsü.

8 — Raşit Tolun : Report ou the research of the scheelite occurrences of the

Kuzbudaklar Delice koy and Uludağ summit regions (Province
of Bursa), report No. 1890 (1951) M. T. A. Enstitüsü Arşivi.
4 — İhsan Ketin : On the Tectonic of the Uludağ Mountain. Bulletin of the
Turkish Geological Association.

5 — Ronner, F. : Geology and Tectonic of the Uludağ Wolfram Deposit and its
neigbourhood. Report No. 2203 (1954), M. T. A. Enstitüsü
Arşivi.
— G. Sağıroğlu : On the Uludağ W o l f r a m Occurrence. Report No. 2084 (1953).
M. T. A. Enstitüsü.

7 — G. van der Kaadeu : Geological Report on the Uludağ Scheelite Deposit Province
of Bursa. Report No. 2202 (1954), M. T. A. Enstitüsü.

8 — Sadrettin Alpan : Report 011 the Uludağ Wolfram Mine ill the Province of Bursa.
Report No. 2209 (1955), M. T. A. Enstitüsü.

126
9 - K. C. Li and C. Y. Wang, Tungsten, p. 106, Reinhold publ. Co. (1947)
10 — Tungsten from «Down under Mining» World, January 1953, p. 34
11 — Newest Montana Tungsten Mill, Mining World, 1955, P. 38
19 — Denver Equipment Go. Handbook (1954).

127