Hydrometallurgical Processing of a Nigerian Galena Ore in Nitric Acid: Characterization and Dissolution Kinetics

Abstract

The physico-chemical characterization and dissolution kinetics study of a Nigerian galena ore in nitric acid has been undertaken. The effects of acid concentration, temperature, particle size, stirring speed and solid/liquid ratio on the leaching of galena were investigated. The X-ray fluorescence data showed that the galena ore used in the study exists mainly as PbS. Lead (Pb) was detected as the major metal for galena with metals such as Na, Ca, Fe, Zn, Al and Mg occurring as minor elements. The XRD analysis also confirmed the originality of the galena ore as it revealed that galena exists mainly as lead sulphide (PbS). The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis also supported the XRF and XRD analysis by revealing the presence of sulphur in the ore. The scanning electron micrograph (SEM) analysis revealed a high level of crystallinity of the ore. Results of the leaching studies showed that galena dissolution in nitric acid (HNO3) increases with increasing concentration of nitric acid, temperature and stirring rate, and decreases with increasing particle diameter and solid/liquid ratio. In 10 M HNO3 at a temperature of 90°C using 75 μm particle diameter with solid/liquid ratio of 20 g/L and stirring speed of 540 rpm, about 84.5% of galena was dissolved in 150 minutes. The values of activation energy, order of reaction and Arrhenius constant calculated at the conditions above for galena were 27.01 KJ/mol, 0.93, 26.71 s-1 respectively. The mechanism of dissolution of galena was established to follow the shrinking core model for the diffusion controlled mechanism, with surface chemical reaction as the rate controlling step for the leaching process. Finally, the XRD analysis of the post-leaching residue revealed the presence of gahnite and anglesite.