American Journal of Chemical Engineering

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Leaching of Germanium from Zinc Residue in H2SO4/SO2 Solutions

Received: 12 September 2018    Accepted: 27 September 2018    Published: 26 October 2018
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Abstract

Zinc residue with high germanium, a waste solid product of hydrometallurgical zinc process is dumped continuously, causing the loss of germanium. Zinc residue was characterized by chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry methods. The results showed that, the mineralogical compositions of the zinc residue used in this research were zinc ferrite, gypsum, hemihydrate gypsum, anglesite, sphalerite and quartz. Approximately 58% and 20% germanium occurred in the ferrite and silicate phases, respectively. Leaching of zinc residue with high germanium was investigated as a process to recover germanium. It was found to be much more effective using sulfur dioxide as a reductant. Batch leaching tests were carried out on zinc residue with high germanium at set pressure in stirred acid solution. The effects of SO2, time, sulfuric acid concentration, temperature, liquid-to-solid ratio, and sulphur dioxide partial pressure on the germanium dissolution were studied to optimize the leaching parameters. In the presence of SO2, the results showed that the extraction of germanium was maximum of 70% while the extraction of zinc and iron were 90% and 96% under the optimal condition which was determined for 80 g of zinc residue using 56 g/L sulfuric acid, liquid-to-solid ratio of 7 mL/g and sulphur dioxide partial pressure of 200 kPa at 100°C after 120 min. Under optimal conditions, the main minerals of the reduction leaching residue were sodium iron sulfate tetrahydrate, gypsum, hemihydrate gypsum, anglesite, sphalerite and quartz. Zinc ferrite was almost entirely leached.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajche.20180605.12
Published in American Journal of Chemical Engineering (Volume 6, Issue 5, September 2018)
Page(s) 86-93
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Germanium, Acid Leaching, Zinc Residue, Sulphur Dioxide

References
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[2] R. Höll, M. Kling, E. Schroll. Metallogenesis of germanium-A review. Ore Geology Reviews, 2007, 30(3-4), 145-180.
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[7] C. Abbruzzese. Percolation leaching of manganese ore by aqueous sulfur dioxide. Hydrometallurgy, 1990, 25(1), 85-97.
[8] J. J. Byerley, G. L. Rempel, G. F. Garrido. Copper catalysed leaching of magnetite in aqueous sulphur dioxide. Hydrometallurgy, 1979, 4 (4), 317-336.
[9] G. K. Das, S. Anand, R. P. Das, D. M. Muir, G. Senanayake, P. Singh, G. Hefter. Acid leaching of nickel laterites in the presence of sulfur dioxide at atmospheric pressure. In: Cooper, W. C., Mihaylov, I. (Eds.), Hydrometallurgy and Refining of Nickel and Cobalt, vol. 1. Canadian Inst. Min. Metall. and Petrolium, Montreal, 1997; 471-488.
[10] G. K. Das, J. A. B. de Lange. Reductive atmospheric acid leaching of West Australian smectitic nickel laterite in the presence of sulphur dioxide and copper (II). Hydrometallurgy, 2011, 105 (3-4), 264-269.
[11] D. Grimanelis, P. Neou-Syngouna, H. Vazarlis. Leaching of a rich Greek manganese ore by aqueous solution of sulphur dioxide. Hydrometallurgy, 1992, 31 (1-2), 139-146.
[12] Rakesh Kumar, S. Das, R. K. Ray, A. K. Biswas. Leaching of pure and cobalt bearing goethites in sulphurous acid: kinetics and mechanism. Hydrometallurgy. 1993, 32 (1). 39-59.
[13] J. D. Miller, R. Y. Wan. Reaction kinetics for the leaching of MnO2 by sulfur dioxide. Hydrometallurgy, 1983, 10(2), 219-242.
[14] I. H. Warren, M. G. Hay. Leaching of iron oxides with aqueous sulphur dioxide. Transactions of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, Sect C: Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy, 1975, 84(820), 49-53.
[15] M. L. Petrie. Molecular interpretation for SO2 dissolution kinetics of pyrolusite, magnetite and hematite. Applied Geochemistry, 1995, 10(3), 253-267.
[16] G. Senanayake, G. K. Das. A comparative study of leaching kinetics of limonitic laterite and synthetic iron oxides in sulphuric acid containing sulphur dioxide. Hydrometallurgy, 2004, 72(1-2), 59-72.
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Author Information
  • Key Laboratory of Metallurgical Emission Reduction & Resources Recycling of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China; School of Metallurgy Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China

  • Key Laboratory of Metallurgical Emission Reduction & Resources Recycling of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China; School of Metallurgy Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China

  • School of Metallurgy Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China

  • School of Metallurgy Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China

  • School of Metallurgy Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China

  • School of Metallurgy Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China

  • Key Laboratory of Metallurgical Emission Reduction & Resources Recycling of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China; School of Metallurgy Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China

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  • APA Style

    Xuelan Wu, Hongming Long, Xin Li, Yanxu Shen, Yangyang Zhang, et al. (2018). Leaching of Germanium from Zinc Residue in H2SO4/SO2 Solutions. American Journal of Chemical Engineering, 6(5), 86-93. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajche.20180605.12

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    ACS Style

    Xuelan Wu; Hongming Long; Xin Li; Yanxu Shen; Yangyang Zhang, et al. Leaching of Germanium from Zinc Residue in H2SO4/SO2 Solutions. Am. J. Chem. Eng. 2018, 6(5), 86-93. doi: 10.11648/j.ajche.20180605.12

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    AMA Style

    Xuelan Wu, Hongming Long, Xin Li, Yanxu Shen, Yangyang Zhang, et al. Leaching of Germanium from Zinc Residue in H2SO4/SO2 Solutions. Am J Chem Eng. 2018;6(5):86-93. doi: 10.11648/j.ajche.20180605.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajche.20180605.12,
      author = {Xuelan Wu and Hongming Long and Xin Li and Yanxu Shen and Yangyang Zhang and Zhipeng Li and Yiming Hu},
      title = {Leaching of Germanium from Zinc Residue in H2SO4/SO2 Solutions},
      journal = {American Journal of Chemical Engineering},
      volume = {6},
      number = {5},
      pages = {86-93},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajche.20180605.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajche.20180605.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajche.20180605.12},
      abstract = {Zinc residue with high germanium, a waste solid product of hydrometallurgical zinc process is dumped continuously, causing the loss of germanium. Zinc residue was characterized by chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry methods. The results showed that, the mineralogical compositions of the zinc residue used in this research were zinc ferrite, gypsum, hemihydrate gypsum, anglesite, sphalerite and quartz. Approximately 58% and 20% germanium occurred in the ferrite and silicate phases, respectively. Leaching of zinc residue with high germanium was investigated as a process to recover germanium. It was found to be much more effective using sulfur dioxide as a reductant. Batch leaching tests were carried out on zinc residue with high germanium at set pressure in stirred acid solution. The effects of SO2, time, sulfuric acid concentration, temperature, liquid-to-solid ratio, and sulphur dioxide partial pressure on the germanium dissolution were studied to optimize the leaching parameters. In the presence of SO2, the results showed that the extraction of germanium was maximum of 70% while the extraction of zinc and iron were 90% and 96% under the optimal condition which was determined for 80 g of zinc residue using 56 g/L sulfuric acid, liquid-to-solid ratio of 7 mL/g and sulphur dioxide partial pressure of 200 kPa at 100°C after 120 min. Under optimal conditions, the main minerals of the reduction leaching residue were sodium iron sulfate tetrahydrate, gypsum, hemihydrate gypsum, anglesite, sphalerite and quartz. Zinc ferrite was almost entirely leached.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Leaching of Germanium from Zinc Residue in H2SO4/SO2 Solutions
    AU  - Xuelan Wu
    AU  - Hongming Long
    AU  - Xin Li
    AU  - Yanxu Shen
    AU  - Yangyang Zhang
    AU  - Zhipeng Li
    AU  - Yiming Hu
    Y1  - 2018/10/26
    PY  - 2018
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajche.20180605.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajche.20180605.12
    T2  - American Journal of Chemical Engineering
    JF  - American Journal of Chemical Engineering
    JO  - American Journal of Chemical Engineering
    SP  - 86
    EP  - 93
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8613
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajche.20180605.12
    AB  - Zinc residue with high germanium, a waste solid product of hydrometallurgical zinc process is dumped continuously, causing the loss of germanium. Zinc residue was characterized by chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry methods. The results showed that, the mineralogical compositions of the zinc residue used in this research were zinc ferrite, gypsum, hemihydrate gypsum, anglesite, sphalerite and quartz. Approximately 58% and 20% germanium occurred in the ferrite and silicate phases, respectively. Leaching of zinc residue with high germanium was investigated as a process to recover germanium. It was found to be much more effective using sulfur dioxide as a reductant. Batch leaching tests were carried out on zinc residue with high germanium at set pressure in stirred acid solution. The effects of SO2, time, sulfuric acid concentration, temperature, liquid-to-solid ratio, and sulphur dioxide partial pressure on the germanium dissolution were studied to optimize the leaching parameters. In the presence of SO2, the results showed that the extraction of germanium was maximum of 70% while the extraction of zinc and iron were 90% and 96% under the optimal condition which was determined for 80 g of zinc residue using 56 g/L sulfuric acid, liquid-to-solid ratio of 7 mL/g and sulphur dioxide partial pressure of 200 kPa at 100°C after 120 min. Under optimal conditions, the main minerals of the reduction leaching residue were sodium iron sulfate tetrahydrate, gypsum, hemihydrate gypsum, anglesite, sphalerite and quartz. Zinc ferrite was almost entirely leached.
    VL  - 6
    IS  - 5
    ER  - 

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