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By Guo Xueyi

The electrochemical couple behavior of manganese dioxide with ferrous/ferric ions in acidic chloride medium was investigated, It was proven that the dissolution of Mn01 is due to the electrochemical couple reaction between MnO2/Mn2+ and Fe2+/lFe3+ in the solution, The driving force for the process originates from the rest potential difference of the two couples. The reduction of Mn02 is controlled by clectrochemical kinetics, whereas the conversion of F e2+ to Fe3+ is limited by diffusion, The factors such as the Mn2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Cl concentration, pH of the solution and the temperature, have much influence on the kinetics of the couple process, This study will be useful to elucidate the mechanism for the leaching of manganese nodule from the deep ocean as well as manganese dioxide ores in land,

Jan 1, 2003

By Junji Shibata

Waste solution from the Ni non-electric plating process contains 4.0 kg/m3 Ni, 0.1 kglm3 Fe, 0.0 I kg/m3 Zn, 48 kg/m3 S042-, 98 kg/m3 HP032-and 31 kg/m3 laetic acid as a typical composition. Solvent extraction, cementation, ion exchange resin and precipitation methods are possible to use for the treatment of this kind of solution. In this study, solvent extraction of Ni was investigated using two kinds of extractants to clarify the relation between extraction percent and pH for various extractant mixtures. As Ni ion has an octahedral structure with ligands, the synergistic effect for Ni extraction is considered to take place in solvent extraction using two types of extractants. The investigation of the synergistic effect for Ni extraction was carried out in case of various extractant systems.

Jan 1, 2003

By Saskia Duyvesteyn

For many applications in hydrometallurgy and water treatment it would be advantageous to use ion-exchange resins in stirred reactors. However, attrition of the resin may lead to significant losses of both resin and metal values and prevent water quality goals from being reached. We have studied the recovery of fine resin particles by froth flotation, using the model copper - Dow XFS4195 chelating resin system. As the functional group on the resin is a bis-picolylamine, the resin should be amenable to flotation by anionic collectors, such as sodium dodecylsulfate and sodium dodecylsulfonate. The kinetics of copper loading from dilute aqueous solutions in an agitated vessel were studied as a function of copper concentration, pH and resin bead size. The flotation of unloaded resin was investigated for different types of collector, collector concentration, conditioning time, and resin bead size. Potential applications are discussed.

Jan 1, 1995

By Guillermo J. Román

The precipitation of copper and zinc as cements from a copper alloys' spent pickling solution has been studied at laboratory and pilot scale, with the objective of designing an economic process to recover both metals and render a solution to be either recycled to the pickling process or treated in a standard fashion and produce a non-hazardous sludge. The sulfuric acid spent pickling solution already containing copper and zinc was used first to dissolve another solid residue originated in the copper alloys foundry to neutralize part of the acidity. The resulting enriched solution was treated separately with two reductants,; sodium borohydride and iron powder varying pH and excess of reductant under constant agitation. Under the best conditions, precipitation of over 95 percent of zinc and copper was achieved together with the reduction of lead and cadmium contents respectively. A process for the combined residues treatment is proposed.

Jan 1, 1995

By Jafar Safarian

Bauxite is the main raw material used for the production of alumina (Al2O3) through the well-known commercial Bayer process. This process has significant challenges such as limitation in using low-grade bauxites as they contain significant amounts of impurities such as Fe, Si, Ti. The Bayer process residue, which is known as red mud, is also a global environmental challenge due to huge amount of this low value residue production. An alternative sustainable process with high potential to solve these problems and produce valuable and consumable by-products is a pyrometallurgical-hydrometallurgical process in which the low-grade bauxite ore is treated through a smelting-reduction process, yielding iron alloys and a calcium-aluminate slag. Alumina is then produced from the slag by hydrometallurgical treatment. In the present work, the reduction of pellets produced from different bauxite ores by hydrogen is studied and it is shown that complete iron oxides reduction is possible. Further smelting and smelting-aluminothermic reduction of the reduced pellets show that iron and silicon ferroalloys can be produced, in addition to a proper slag for alumina extraction.

By Ted H. Eyde

Natural Zeolites are a less expensive and in certain applications a superior alternative to organic ion exchange resins. Mining and metallurgical waste streams are difficult to treat because the effluents which contain potentially valuable heavy metals such as copper, lead, and silver are often highly acidic and contain significant quantities of suspended solids. Under rigorous operational conditions, certain natural zeolites can remove the metals, which if desired can be recovered by either elution or conventional smelting techniques. There are significant differences in cation exchange rate, selectivity and capacity as well as resistance to either high or low pH, blocking cations and tolerance to elevated or depressed temperature and pressure not only between different zeolite minerals but between the same mineral from different deposits. Applying natural zeolites to the treatment of mining and metallurgical waste streams depends on matching the specific zeolite to the effluent by characterization of the zeolite minerals.

Jan 1, 1993

By Larry Twidwell, Ed Rosenberg, Courtney Young, Sean Dudley, William Gleason, Maureen Chorney

Experimental and industrially produced polystyrene and silica resins are tested for recovery capabilities of Rare Earth Elements (REE). Testing regimes being used are typical of resin analysis. Inductively Coupled Plasma-AES results indicate that preferential separation and recovery is possible in the adjusted pH range of2 to 10, solution conditions, and resin type. Testing conditions are resulting in structure modification of the composite resin as indicated by X-Ray Diffraction, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Mercury Porisometry, and density analysis. Resin modification indicates both surface and internal structure alteration outside of reported standard behavior of resins. Structural changes have ramification for both Rare Earth Recovery RER and traditional resin operations. Analysis shows that the resin uptake of REE can be manipulated for concentration. Further analysis with SEM work indicates that widespread surface and interior modification is taking place as resins load with REE. This modification is leading to pore rupture and particle breakage. Further investigation is being performed to determine the mode of breakage.

Jan 1, 2015

By C. Alexandru Sonoc

Donnan Dialysis uses ion exchange membranes to extract and separate cations. The driving force is provided by differences in chemical potential, rather than by electric fields or pressure. A Donnan Dialysis based process to recover lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and organic acid lixiviant from recycled lithium ion battery cathodes is under development. In this paper we present a model of Donnan Dialysis and results of simulations of the aforementioned process. The simulations show that 170 m2 of membranes can process 1000 L of leachate ([Li+] = 0.285 M, [Co2+] = [Ni2+] = [Mn2+] = 0.095 M, pH 2) in two days and recover 94.1% of the lithium (as lithium carbonate), 99.4% of the transition metals (as mixed sulphates ready for solvent extraction), and all of the organic acid using 423 mol of H2SO4 and 268 mol of KHCO3.

By Tang Mo-tang

A new process for extracting indium from indium-zinc concentrates was proposed in this paper. The process can directly extract indium from removed copper solution by P204, and cancel the stage of removing iron in the traditional process because of using iron and part of zinc in the In-Zn concentrates for direct preparing high quality Mn-Zn soft magnetic ferrites. The technologies in the processes, such as leaching the neutral leached residues with high concentrated acid at high temperature, reduction ferric and removing copper, and extracting indium, were investigated. The results showed that total recovery ratio of indium has been increased from less than 70% in the traditional process to more than 95%. This process has the advantages of largely simplifying the procedure of indium extraction, zero draining off of iron residue and zero emitting of SO2. So this is a clean production process.

Jan 1, 2006

By Stella Agatzini

Column leach tests were conducted to evaluate the amenability of poor Greece nickel laterites to heap leaching with dilute sulfuric acid at ambient temperature. The ore tested was a limonitic laterite with less than 1 % nickel and it was subjected to a suitable pretreatment with water prior to it being loaded into the columns, following findings of preliminary research work. The acid solution was recycled after suitable pH adjustment. Factorial designs were used to determine the effects and interactions of the following factors: sulfuric acid concentration, ore column height, ore grain size and ratio of leach solution volume to the ore quantity. The response which were investigated included nickel and cobalt recoveries, codissolution of iron, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, chromium and silica and also sulfuric acid consumption. Experimental error was also detennined. The tests showed that a nickel recovery of 88% could be achieved in 60 days.

Jan 1, 1993

By Bruno Augusto Batista Ribeiro, Felipe Terra Elias, Wagner Moulin Silva

In the pyrometallurgical production of copper from its sulfides, converting in the Peirce Smith (P-S) Converter is still the most widespread method to obtain white metal and blister copper from the matte. Despite the fact of being a century-old process, it is still possible to achieve improvements in the process, by the use of modern tools, one of the most valuable being numerical calculation and computer-aided simulation. The present study presents three cases in which the angle for the gas injection and the number of working tuyeres are changed during the slag blow phase of the converting process. It was noticed that a decrease of the number of tuyeres, followed by an increase in the injection gas velocity, results in improved reaction volume and less stress to the refractory lining. However, an increase in the amount of copper lost to the slag as oxide is likely to occur.

Jan 1, 2014

By R. K. Amankwah

The ability of Streptomyces viridosporus in sorbing heavy metals from wastewater has been investigated. It was found out that the biomass of the soil microorganism could be used in sorbing Pb2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ and Ni2+ ions from acidic solutions of metal ion concentration between 10 and 100 ppm. Over 99% of Pb2+ and 88% of Cu2+ ions were sorbed from wastewater of concentration 10 ppm with Ni2+ and Zn2+ recording values below 50% for a contact period of 4 hours. The quantity of metal ions sorbed per gram of biomass from the wastewater was in the order Pb2+ > Cu2+ > Ni2+ > Zn2+ and this is related to their electronegativities. Biosorption was sensitive to variations in pH and in the range investigated; metal binding was optimum at 5.5. About 63% antimony was also sorbed from dilute cyanide solution.

Jan 1, 2003

By Kejun Liu

Platinum and palladium are usually dissolved together and followed by separation. In this study, the selective leaching of platinum and palladium from a secondary resource, such as dental waste, by using chloride solution (hypochlorite and chlorate) has been developed. Results indicate that about 100% of palladium could be initially extracted by the combination of 0.3 mol/L sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) and 0.068 mol/L sodium chloride (NaCl) at pH 1.2 and 298K in 1.5 hours, or the combination of 0.005 mol/L sodium chlorate (NaClO3) and 6 mol/L hydrochloric acid (HCl) at 298K in 0.5 hour. About 100% of platinum could be extracted from the residue by the combination of 0.47 mol/L sodium chlorate (NaClO3) and 12 mol/L hydrochloric acid (HCl) at 298K in 2 hours.

Jan 1, 2003

By Glenn Stevens

After 40 years of operation with the original design, Pan Pacific Copper determined it was necessary to rebuild the Saganoseki Flash Smelting Furnace to continue safe operation. The original design employed a rigid steel frame, which, through hearth growth, led to severe distortion of the frame. Contributing to the continued growth of the hearth were thermal cycles that occurred during the government mandated annual shutdowns. Hatch designed a unique sprung bound, pivoting binding frame to maximize crucible size within the existing furnace footprint, while integrating the PPC designed cooling jackets. The bound system maintains tight brick joints, while the new conductive hearth design with integrated bottom cooling produces a protective freeze layer to accommodate higher furnace throughput. Minimization of furnace downtime for the rebuild was achieved through effective construction planning, highly trained contractors, and through an efficient start-up and ramp-up to full production.

By Hector M. Henao

In order to provide the thermochemical data regarding the slag system, which are of importance for sulfide smelting and metallurgical processes but still lacking, an experimental study was carried out on the phase relations and activity of iron oxide in the FeOX-CaO-SiO2 system at temperatures between 1300 and 1400 °C and partial pressures of oxygen between 10-9 and 10-4atm. First, the solubility of CaO and SiO2 in the solid FeO were obtained and the tie lines connecting between the solid wustite (FeO) or magnetite (Fe3O4) phase and the liquid phase were determined. Secondly, iso-activity lines for FeO in the homogeneous liquid region were determined, based on the activity of iron in the Pt-crucible used in the equilibrium experiments. The activity coefficient of FeO in this region was also derived from the composition of FeO and FeO1.5 in the liquid region. Finally, the effect of (CaO/SiO2) ratio in the system and partial pressure of oxygen on these thermochemical quantities is discussed.

Jan 1, 2006

By Zhihe Dou

SHS reaction system has advantages of heat flux density, energy concentration and reaction speed, with sufficient conditions in thermodynamic and kinetic reaction. This paper invented a new technology of SHS metallurgy of preparing melting point alloys and refractory compounds using its own chemical energy. SHS-leaching process for preparing nano boron powder or ultrafine boride powder and SHS-casting process for preparing titanium-based alloy and immiscible alloy were studied. The results indicate that highly active boron powder of greater than purity of 93%, particle size less than 100nm and purity greater than 98.5%, particle size less than 400nm REB6 can be prepared. With SHS-Casting process, the oxygen content of less than 0.59% ferrotitanium, oxygen content of less than 0.5% titanium alloy and ?40-80*100mm large size of CuCr, Cu-Fe alloy ingots were prepared. This technology has greatly enhanced the thermal reduction method added values of preparing metallurgical products and its competitiveness.

Jan 1, 2014

By Y. Takasaki

For zinc hydrometallurgical extraction, reducing the electric power consumption of the electrowinning process is an important issue for energy savings. At the Zinc & Lead 2000 symposium, the authors suggested that by using the Pb-0.5%Ag-0.6%Ca alloy, the electrolysis energy can be decreased compared to the conventional Pb-0.9%Ag alloy. In this study, the corrosion behaviors of the Pb-Ag-Ca electrode in a sulfuric-acid electrolyte were investigated. Based on the results Or me Pb-0.5%Ag-0.6%Ca anode after 20 days of electrolysis, the bath voltage and the quantity of anode slime decreased compared to the Pb-I%Ag anode. Subsequently, beta-PbO2 on the electrode surface was detected by XRD and its peaks were sharper than the Pb-1 %Ag anode. Moreover, a dense beta-PbO2 layer on the 0.6%Ca a anode surface was observed. Therefore, it was suggested that the dense beta-PbO2 layer on the anode surface is one of the factors that leads to a lower bath voltage and decreasing quantity of anode slime.

Jan 1, 2003

By Richard L. Kerr

The U.S. aluminum recycling industry has experienced rapid growth in both its size and importance over the past two decades. Secondary recovery now makes up about one-third of total U.S .. aluminum supply compared with ]9 percent, of a much smaller total in the early 1970's. This growth has occurred in part because recycled metal performs as well as new aluminum in most applications, and because it provides major savings in production costs and natural resource utilization. In addition, the recycling industry has played a critical role in greatly expanded -production and reclamation of aluminum beverage cans. Recycled metal makes up over half of the content of aluminum sheet used: to manufacture beverage cans. In future years, both the-production and reclamation of aluminum cans are likely to rise in foreign markets, thus providing the industry with opportunities for further growth. Recyclers may also play a larger role in supplying auto producers who are using increasing amounts of aluminum in passenger cars and trucks. However, in order to take advantage of this growing market, an efficient infrastructure for collection of scrap and production of metal must be developed.

Jan 1, 1995

By Rejane Tubino Geyer

The volume of electric arc furnace (EAF) plus oxygen (BOF) slag produced yearly in the world is about 84 million ton. Because of this, the study of recycling processes as a way to solve the storage problem of these slags rise in importance. There are, however, some inconvenients on using this byproduct: lime, which takes part of the process of steel production, remains as a non-reactive raw product in the slag. Since lime reacts in presence of humidity, forming expansive compounds, slag use is strongly limited. There are some utilizations for the electric arc furnace and oxygen slag in the Civil Construction Industry, mainly as base, subbase and asphalt covering in highways. However, independently of the type of recycling, a period of "cure" of about six months is necessary. Because of this slow cure process this byproduct may turn non-competitive in some regions if compared, for example, with the natural aggregate. The objective of this work is to present the flowsheet of the slags production as a residue both at the electric and oxygen steel plants and, through a bibliographic review, to analize the possibilities and limiting factors for the use of steelmaking slags in the Civil Construction Industry.

Jan 1, 1996

By Ephraim Jeya Kumari

The demand for the titanium dioxide pigments and the shortage of higher-grade titaniferous ores with low radioactivity and zircon sands worldwide has encouraged the development of new techniques for the beneficiation of lesser grade titaniferous ores. The inferior quality ores are invariably richer in radio-active and lanthanide oxides, which severely interfere with the fluidized bed chlorination reaction (FBCR), in which ultra-high purity titanium tetrachloride is distilled off for pigment manufacture. However the present beneficiation techniques require high quality ilmenite ores and are not suitable for upgrading lower grade ilmenite ores which do posses trace metals in the form of lanthanides and actinides as Al-phosphates and zirconium silicates, respectively. The presence of mineral hosts, zircon sand and monazite in ilmenite and anatase also increase in chlorine gas consumption in the FBCR and contribute to a larger volume of hazardous waste production, which must be neutralised at a significant cost before being disposed off safely. In view of the problems described for lanthanide (Ce, Nd etc) and actinide (Th, U) trace impurities in titaniferous ores, an alternative route, which is flexible and more accommodating for processing difficult ores, is discussed. In the new process, which may be used for richer grades of ores too, the ore is roasted in air with sodium carbonate below 950°C to promote the formation of water-soluble sodium ferrite and insoluble sodium titanate phases. In this investigation, the high-temperature roasting process and the ensuing hydrometallurgical leaching steps have been analysed in the context of selective separation of lanthanide and actinide minerals from the main titaniferous mineral structures. Evidences for the selective separation are presented based on the chemical (XRD, XRF, AA) and microstructural analysis (SEM, EDX, EPMA) of roasted mass and the leached product. The efficiency of selective separation is also reported based on the chemicals analysis and the particle size of the materials derived after leaching. The paper highlights the various thermodynamic aspects of reaction equilibrium in the Fe-Ti-O-Na system, and the effect of Eh-pH diagram in the determination of pH required for the better control of the removal of iron and sodium. Two different types of Ti ores, namely ilmenite and anatase, their crystal structure and the phase transformation will also be explained on the basis of wet chemical analysis, XRF, XRD, EPMA and SEM-EDX studies. The method developed examines the technological feasibility of the selective separation process.

Jan 1, 2006