Recovery of high-grade cobalt oxide from zinc plant residue (ZPR) generated at zinc processing plants

Abstract

In the present study, a method for cobalt recovery from Zinc Plant Residue (ZPR) has been developed. First, the residue was leached in a dilute sulfuric acid solution. >90% cobalt and 95% zinc were leached in two hours at room temperature. Then, leach liquor was purified before cobalt precipitation. First, copper and cadmium were removed using zinc dust. >99% copper and 80% cadmium were removed in 30 min at room temperature with slow agitation. Then, dissolved iron was removed using sodium persulfate as an oxidizing agent, and lime was used to maintain pH. Iron was precipitated (~99%) in 1 h at 60 °C temperature by maintaining pH at 3.5 and Eh at 700 mV. After iron removal, cobalt was precipitated by using sodium persulfate as an oxidizing agent, and sodium hydroxide was used to maintain pH. The cobalt precipitate was calcined and then the final product was obtained with 58% Co. The filtrate, obtained after cobalt precipitation, had a zinc concentration of approximately 69 g/L. About 82% cobalt and 90% zinc were recovered in the entire process.