Tribocharged electrostatic beneficiation of a lunar simulant and actual Apollo regolith has been shown to be successful under a high lunar vacuum in which various degrees of efficient particle separation and mineral enrichment of up to a few hundred percent were achieved. In this paper, electrostatic beneficiation of a lunar simulant at 1/6 g , as run on reduced gravity flights (RGFs), is reported. Enrichment of the target mineral ilmenite was achieved as high as 65 and 106% in the two RGF flights undertaken, showing that tribocharged electrostatic beneficiation is a viable process in the lunar environment. It was also shown that the efficiency of the separation was a factor in the orientation of the apparatus in the aircraft because the force of gravity was not perpendicular to the plane of the apparatus during the flight parabolas.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Evaluation of Tribocharged Electrostatic Beneficiation of Lunar Simulant in Lunar Gravity



    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2012-12-15


    Size :

    62013-01-01 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English