Double steps leaching and filtration in caustic fusion method to produce zirconia from local zircon concentrate

Abstract

A research on caustic fusion method of zircon concentrate has been conducted with applied single and double steps of leaching and filtration. The aims of research are to produce zirconia, ZrO2, with high purity, to study its crystal structure and cell parameters and also comparing the results of single, ZrO2(1), and double steps, ZrO2(2). The results show that ZrO2 was successfully synthesized from high concentrate zircon, HG zircon. The ZrO2 was crystallized in tetragonal structure and space group of P42/NMC. The Fourier Plots of electron density of ZrO2(1) and ZrO2(2) at x, y and z axis show similar patterns. It indicates that the zirconia which was prepared by single and double steps leaching and filtration are the ZrO2 with similar structure. Few dissimilar on the electron density patterns are founded in x and z axis. It probably caused by the higher sodium oxide and silicon dioxide contents in ZrO2(2). as it were confirmed by X-Ray Fluorescence analysis. The existence of impurities may affect the electron density near ions in a unit crystal. This research found that double step leaching and filtration method does not enhance the efficiency on zirconia recovery it even allows high content of sodium and silicone ions in ZrOCl2 filtrate. The ZrO2 concentration in single step powder is 72.07 % and its 70.99 % in double steps powder.