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The Separation of Pumice from Sand

J. ROGERS, M.Sc, A.N.Z.I.C.,* and F. L SANDERSON, A.O.S.M.*

TTHE sand available in the Waikato TABLE II

*- basin for use in the concrete to be Float (a 1.6 Fie jat (a 2.0
Mesh Float (& 2.5 Sink (a 2.5
mixed for the Whakamaru and other
hydro-electric schemes contains variable -3 +10 10.0 11.5 I k5 15.0
proportions of pumice and other light- 10 +20 12.0 15.0 19.6 26.7
20 +35 3.4 13.0 27.0 73.9
weight material. The porous lightweight
35 +65 0 13.3 +4.8 121.7
particles make it difficult or impossible
65 +100 0 0.2 6.7 26.7
to control the water content and strength 100 0 6.9
0 16.1
of the concrete made with the natural
sand, and this paper describes experi- Tota Is: 25.4 53.0 119.5 280.1
ments done at the suggestion of engin-
eers of the Ministry of Works at the % 6+ 13.3 30.0 70.0
School of Mines and Metallurgy of the
University of Otago on the separation gravity less than 1.6, 2.0, 2.5 and greater Microscopic examination of the differ-
of the pumice from the sand. Initial than 2.5 by sink-float experiments in ent fractions showed that, in all thus,-
sink-float tests, which showed there w-as liquids of specific gravity 1.6. 2.0 and with specific gravity less than 2.0, the
enough difference in specific gravity 2.5 prepared from mixtures of carbon bulk of the particles were cellular in
between many of the porous and sound tetrachloride and bromoform. The nature. Some of the mineral grains
grains of sand to warrant study of weights of the samples so obtained are sinking in a liquid of specific gravity 2
methods of gravity separation, were shown in Table II. and floating on one of specific gravity
followed by jigg'ng experiments, result- 2.5 appeared homogeneous or sound:
ing in a sand substantially free of reference is made to these later. There
unsound particles. are also cellular and porous particles it;
smaller amounts.
A sand can be sized into fractions of
a relatively short size range by hydraulic Jigging Tests
classification if the grains have a uni-
The jigging experiments were done in
form specific gravity. If. however, the
the unit shown in Fig. 1.
sand contains grains of different specific
Some 24 experiments were performed,
gravity, the sizing in a hydraulic classi-
and it was shewn that by overflowing 2'^
fier is not satisfactory, as it is a function
to 3 0 % of lightweight material, a hutch
of specific gravity as well as sizefor
product completely free of slimes and
example', large' particle's of pumice ill)
substantially free of pumice was
mesh) arc found in the fraction con
obtained. Details of the size analysis
laming the 35 to 100 mesh material.
of samples from the products obtained
The results of sizing the natural and
in a test in which 2 5 % of the sand was
jigged sand from W h a k a m a r u in a
overflowed as a pumice concentrate- a
laboratory hydraulic classifier presented
shown in Table III.
herein illustrate this fact and another
The sand from the hutch of the jig
advantage to be gained by removing
contained 19.2% of material with a
pumice from sand aggregates.
specific gravity less than 2.5, predomin-
antly in the coarser sizes. For example-.
Determination of Specific Gravity of
the +20 mesh fractions contained 32.6
Particles in Whakamaru Sand
of material lighter than 2.5. However,
A portion of the sample cf raw Fig. I.Unit used for jigging tests. it is probable that the specific gravity
Whakamaru sand was sieved on a nest of this material is close to 2.5 as exam-
of Tyler screens on a Rotap machine for ination of it microscopically showed it
From Table II the following points
Fifteen minutes. The size analysis of are clear: to be largely sound grains of minerals
the sample is shown in Table I. ( 1 i That most cf lightweight material such as obsidian, which have a specifi
The sized fractions cf sand so obtained in the 3 +10 mesh fractions has a gravity varying with the water in the-
were separated into portion-, of specific specific gravity less than 1.6. lattice structure. T h e mineral grains
i 2 i That there is the same percentage appear homogeneous and are markedh
cf material of specific gravity less than different in appearance from the rellu-
TABLE 1
2.0 in the. 2 0 mesh fractions as in
TABLE 111
Cumulative those F 20 mesh.
Mesh Weight 0 W eight % (3) That the 20 +65 mesh frac- Overflow Hutch
tions contain 6 0 % of the material of a Pumie e Sand
+ 3 0 0 specific gravity less than 2.5 and all Mesh Weight % Weight %
3 ' ID 7.5 7.5 the 20 mesh fractions 71.5% of this
3 +10 11.3 2.5
10 1-20 11.7 19.2 lightweight material.
10 +20 20. i 9.0
20 - 35 25.4 14.6

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