Selective and Efficient Extraction of Zinc from Mixed Sulfide–oxide Zinc and Lead Ore

ABSTRACT

Mixed sulfide–oxide lead and zinc ores are generally composed of both sulfides and oxides. The dissolution of sulfides is more difficult than oxides thus the addition of oxidant is necessary. In this paper, oxidative leaching of mixed ore in NH₃-(NH₄)₂SO₄ solution using ammonium persulfate as oxidant under atmospheric pressure and relatively low temperature was investigated for the first time. The effects of factors on the leaching of pure ZnS were studied and the optimal conditions with zinc 98.7% were determined. Selective and efficient extractions of 93.9% and 94.9% zinc from zinc sulfide ore and mixed ore were also achieved, respectively.

KEYWORDS:

• Ammonium persulfate
• high selectivity
• mixed sulfide–oxide zinc and lead ore
• oxidative leaching
• oxidation mechanism

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2014CB643401, No. 2013AA032003), the National Science Foundation of China (No. 51372019).

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2014CB643401, No. 2013AA032003), the National Science Foundation of China (No. 51372019).