Nishikhal Manganese Deposit, Koraput District, Orissa

Manganese ores of Nishikhal occur as distinctly conformable bands in the khondalite suite of rocks. Presence of phosphorus, iron and silica beyond desirable limit in most of the ores makes them unsuitable for industrial purposes. The dominant ore minerals are psilornelane, cryptomelane, pyrolusite and goethite. These ores are formed by supergene enrichment of primary syngenetic metamorphosed assemblages. Phosphorus is present as a discrete mineral phase in the form of apatite contained in the silicate minerals, as well as fixed in the crystal structure of goethite, cryptomelane and psilomelane. Physical beneficiation may be employed to remove the silicate minerals which will ultimately reduce a part of phosphorus. Removal of iron by this method may be difficult because of the fine grain-size and complex intergrowth with goethite.