C. I. Nwoye^1,, S. O. Nwakpa¹, I. D. Adiele², M. A. Allen³, S. E. Ede⁴, N. E. Idenyi⁵

Galena particles (concentrate) were analyzed by sedimentation method using conventional technique, appropriate apparatus and reagents. A critical evaluation of the relationship between effective particle depth and a consortium of factorials; settling time and particle diameter was carried out using a derived model which is two-factorial-quadratic in nature. Results of the sedimentation analysis show increased effective depth reached by the particles as a result of decrease in the descending particle diameter, and increased settling time. The validity of derived model; β = 2 x 10^-5 γ² - 5 x 10^-4 γ – 1.5 x 10^-3 α + 0.2176 is rooted on the core expression β - 1.5 x 10^-3 = 2 x 10^-5 γ² - 5 x 10^-4 γ + 0.2176 where both sides of the expression are correspondingly approximately equal to 0.2. The model validity was verified through comparative evaluation of the settling rates from experimental and model-predicted results. These settling rates are 0.002 and 0.0025 m/mins. respectively which are in proximate agreement. The standard error incurred in predicting the effective particle depth for each value of settling time & particle diameter considered as evaluated from experiment and derived model are 0.0018 and 0.0027 & 0.0005 and 0.0024 respectively. Maximum deviation of model-predicted results from experiment was less than 3%, implying a confidence applicability level of about 97%.

sedimentation analysis, galena, particle depth prediction, settling time, particle diameter