EXPRESS ANALYSIS METHOD OF ALUNITE ORE

The article presents a method to determine an amount of alunite in alunite ore and technological samples by alternative method. The essence of the method is that the alunite mineral in the ore is heated to the temperature of complete decomposition (800-8500C) and the degree of alunitation of the ore for the total mass loss, based on the amount of aluminum oxide and sulfur trioxide. The method was compared with other available methods (thermal, chemical, X-ray phase). The advantage of the method is that more than one sample is analyzed at a time, the analysis is completed in a short time, no preliminary preparations are made, nor chemical reagents are used. Alunite ore consists of alunite and non-alunite (kaolinite, hematite, quartz). Since the mass loss during the heating of the ore is mainly caused by the decomposition of alunite, a mathematical relationship of a%=2.34ωloss was found between the loss and the degree of alunitation. According to the degree of alunitation, for the aluminum oxide and sulfur trioxide in the ore, the expressions ω(Al2O3)=0.8775⋅ωloss, ω(SO3)=0.6888∙ωloss were obtained. Chemical, derivotographic methods of analysis experimentally confirmed the adequacy of these equations. It was established that in order to completely decompose the ore, it is necessary to heat it at 8500C for half an hour and at 8000C for an hour