Enrichment on Bangka tin slag’s tantalum and niobium oxide contents through non-fluoride process

Sulaksana Permana,Kurnia Setiawan Widana,Anggita Amilia,Ahmad Maksum,Shiva Frida Vincia,Johny Wahyuadi Soedarsono

doi:10.15587/1729-4061.2018.129914

Abstract

This research explored how non-fluoride solutions including 8M NaOH, 0.8, 1.6 and 2.4 M H 2 SO 4 , and 0.1, 0.4 and 0.8 M HClO 4 increased the contents of tantalum and niobium oxide through leaching. Before leaching, Bangka tin slag (BTS) was characterized through XRF. The slag was then 900⁰C-roasted, quenched, and dewatered. Next, BTS underwent a sieving process with size classifications of +100, -100+150, -150+200, -200+250, and -250 mesh. After that, the -200+250 mesh slag was leached with 8M NaOH. Then, the leached product was divided into two, one of which was 0.1, 0.4, and 0.8 M HClO 4 -leached and the rest of which was leached with 0.8 M HClO 4 followed by 0, 0.8, 1.6, and 2.4 M H 2 SO 4 at 25⁰C within 2 hours. All the residues characterization used an XRF while that of filtrates used an AAS as well as an ICP-OES. The motives that drive this investigation are the deficit of tantalum supply and its status as one of the technology-critical elements. In addition to that, most of prior investigations enhanced the contents of tantalum and niobium oxide using fluoride acid while this study ventured non-fluoride solutions. The result shows that perchlorate acid followed by sulfuric acid leaching slightly enriches the tantalum and niobium contents. However, this method is the most effective among NaOH, HCIO 4 , and HCIO 4 followed by H 2 SO 4 leaching. This finding is a form of scientific effort to maintain the tantalum supply through utilizing worthless waste of tin smelting

Highlights

The electronic, automotive, and aerospace new technology’s high dependence on tantalum makes this metal one of the technology-critical elements [1]
One of the measures to obtain the secondary sources of valuable elements is the metallurgical slag and several explorations presented the acquisition of valuable elements from metallurgical slag [5, 6]
All the elements of BTS were split into 3 parts: the valuable oxides are tantalum-niobium; major other oxides (MOO); elements and minor other oxides (EMO)

Summary

Introduction

The electronic, automotive, and aerospace new technology’s high dependence on tantalum makes this metal one of the technology-critical elements [1]. Researches on the endurance of tantalum supply chain investigated the endurance improvement mechanism such as optimization of other sources G. tin slag, scraps, etc.), recycling, material substitution, and hoarding [2]. Materials Science which merges with sea and freshwater [1]. Investigations on material and future sources revealed that the source of tantalum from tin slag was 13 % among all supplies [3] and a forecast in 2013 implied a deficit in 2015 and 2016 [4]. Hydrometallurgy was used by prior researches to upgrade the concentration of elements [7, 8]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion