Distribution Pattern and Occurrence State of Cobalt in Panxi Taihe Vanadium-titanium Magnetite

This is an article in the field of process mineralogy. Cobalt is a strategic metal primarily found as an associated element in metal deposits. The Panxi region's vanadium-titanium magnetite deposit, the largest of its kind in China, also contains significant cobalt resources. Yet, the distribution and microscopic occurrence of cobalt within the mineral phases of cobalt-rich ores remain unexplored. This paper focuses on the Taihe vanadium-titanium magnetite deposit in Panxi area as the research object, and uses chemical analysis, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM-BSE), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), advanced mineral identification and characterization system (AMICS), electron probe microscopy (EPMA) and other analytical techniques to study the chemical composition, mineral composition and distribution law and occurrence state of Co element in different minerals of typical cobalt-rich ores in the deposit. The research results show that the sulfide in the cobalt-rich sample mineral has a higher cobalt content, while the cobalt content in the iron-titanium oxide is lower, and other minerals contain almost no cobalt. The distribution law of cobalt shows that it is mainly distributed in sulfides, and a small amount is distributed in iron-titanium oxides and gangue minerals. The cobalt element in the sample has two occurrence states: independent mineral-sulfur cobalt nickel ores and isomorphous. The research results provide a mineralogical foundation for the comprehensive utilization of cobalt resources in the area.