Abstract
Experiments on the kinetics of dissolution of a Nigerian tantalite ore in hydrochloric acid medium have been undertaken. The effects of temperature, acid concentration, stirring rate and particle size on the dissolution rate have been investigated. Physicochemical characterization of this ore, such as moisture content, loss of mass on ignition, pH and the elemental analysis by inductive coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was also carried out. With 12M HCI, about 67.2 % oftantalite ore was dissolved within 120min, using O.lmm particle size and stirring rate of 270 rpm at 80°C .The results of the study indicate that the dissolution reaction is topochemical and is greatly influenced by hydrogen ion [H+] concentration. Moreover, the leaching data fit a diffusion model. A value of27.95 kJ/mole was obtained for the activation energy of dissolution ofthe mineral, which is reasonable for a rate limiting diffusion mechanism.
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