Preliminary study of dry triboelectrostatic separation of mineral particles: A potential application in space exploration

A candidate processing technology for producing ilmenite, from which oxygen can be extracted for human use on the moon, is triboelectrostatic separation. The potential of this process is investigated using a physical mixture of closely related minerals with ilmenite. The charge polarity and magnitude on the particle as a consequence of impacting a copper tube surface were measured and the mixtures were beneficiation/purification tested using an analytical triboelectric separator. Optical microscopy showed dry triboelectric separation to be a simple and efficient method to separate ilmenite from the mixture.