Extraction of Molybdenum from Molybdenite Concentrates with Hydrometallurgical Processing

Abstract

Molybdenite concentrates are usually treated by roasting, but low-concentration SO2 pollution is an associated problem. A hydrometallurgical process with pressure oxidation leaching (POX) and solvent extraction (SX) was developed in recent years. During POX, the oxidation of molybdenum (Mo) is above 98%. More than 95% of the rhenium (Re) and 15% to 20% of the Mo are leached into solution. The sulfur in the concentrate is converted to H2SO4, which results in high acidity of the solution. SX was used to recover the Re and Mo from the solution. The extraction of Re and Mo were above 98%. The loaded organic reagent is stripped with ammonia. More than 98% of the Mo can be stripped from the organic phase. Compared with the roasting process, the total recovery of Mo increased from 93% to 97% and that of Re from 60% to 90% when POX and SX are utilized.