Chlorination of a scheelite-wolframite concentrate with chlorine and sulphur dioxide

Abstract

The chlorination of a scheelite–wolframite concentrate with chlorine and sulphur dioxide was studied in order to determine the operative conditions that favor the tungsten extraction. Tests were made in a vertical reactor with a static bed and upward flow of reactive gases. Effects of the flow rates of chlorine and of sulphur dioxide, the reaction time and the reaction temperature on the tungsten extraction were analyzed. The evolution of the tungsten extraction determined in our tests was briefly explained from the volatile and non-volatile reaction products formed in each case. The main reaction products identified were WO 2Cl 2, FeCl 2, FeCl 3, CaSO 4 and CaCl 2. The mechanism and apparent activation energy of the reaction were analyzed from data obtained under non-isothermal conditions. The kinetic analysis shows that the presence of non-volatile reaction products affects the chlorination. Effects of the impurity reactivity, the ratio of tungsten-bearing minerals and the particle size of the concentrate on the chlorination were analyzed. Finally, the operative conditions that allowed a tungsten recovery near 90% were determined.