Selective Leaching of Molybdenum from Bulk Concentrate by Electro-Oxidation

Kyeong Woo Chung,Chul-Joo Kim,Ho-Seok Jeon,Ho-Sung Yoon

doi:10.3390/met11121904

Kyeong Woo Chung, Chul-Joo Kim + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/met11121904

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Abstract

This paper proposes selective leaching of molybdenum from Mo/Cu complex bulk concentrates in a 5 M NaCl solution using the electro-oxidation method. Here, the effects of several factors such as pH, pulp density, current density, and temperatures were investigated. A higher leaching yield of Mo increased with increasing pH from 5 to 9 and decreased with increasing pulp density from 1 to 10%. A rise in current density did not help enhance Mo, and the elevating temperature did not always result in a higher leaching yield. Application of ultrasonic led to higher leaching yield of Mo. Ninety-two percent of leaching yield was obtained upon leaching of Mo in 5 M NaCl at 25 °C, pulp density of 5%, and the current density of 0.292 A/g under ultrasonic irradiation with a power of 27 kW. The resultant residue mainly consisted of chalcopyrite.

Highlights

IntroductionMolybdenum is mainly used as an alloying agent in the steel industry because its addition improves several properties such as strength, durability, weldability, and the corrosion resistance of steel [1,2,3]
All pHs studied in this study, while no leach and pulp density does the balance of concentrates mass to solution volume
Sonication power should be optimized to percent of leaching yield was obtained upon leaching of Mo in 5 M NaCl at 25 °C, pulp obtain a high leaching yield of density of 5%, and the current density of 0.292 A/g under ultrasonic irradiation with a

Summary

Introduction

Molybdenum is mainly used as an alloying agent in the steel industry because its addition improves several properties such as strength, durability, weldability, and the corrosion resistance of steel [1,2,3]. Since the 1970s, MoS2 could be reportedly oxidized in both acidic and alkaline solution by hypochlorite and chlorate, so their application to selective leaching of Mo from Mo/Cu complex ores has been much studied [16,17,18,19,20,21]. An electro-oxidation method has been developed and reported to be effective in selective leaching Mo from Mo concentrates [22,23,24,25]. The electro-oxidation method is to leach Mo from MoS2 using electrochemically generated hypochlorite ion (OCl− ) as an oxidant as follows;. It theoretically consumes electricity and OH- without additional oxidants.

Experimental Section

Results

Leaching

Conclusions