Study of the kinetics of calcium molybdate leaching with sodium carbonate solutions

Abstract

Calcium molybdate forms powellite, it is produced as a result of oxidizing roasting of off-grade molybdenum sulphide concentrates and other molybdenum materials with calcium additives (calcium oxides and hydro xides, calcium chlorides) in air at the temperatures of 550–600 oC. Use of Na2CO3 solutions enables an efficient recovery of Мо from CaMoO4 and a quantitative removal of impurities. To determine the optimum conditions for this process, one would need data on CaMoO4 leaching within a broad range of Na2CO3 concentrations and at high temperature and one would need to analyze the composition of the solid phase and the kinetic parameters of the process, i.e. rate and rate-controlling step. The authors look at the CaMoO4 leaching kinetics in 1.0–2.5 mol/l Na2CO3 solutions at 60–90 oC. It was found that the process rate is dictated by the stirring intensity and tends to increase with a rising temperature and the reagent concentration rising in the range of 1.0–1.5 mol/l. A higher concentration of Na2CO3 has no effect on the reaction rate. An apparent reaction order was determined in the Na2CO3 concentration range of 1.0–1.5 mol/l. An equation is proposed for calculating the CaMoO4 dissolution rate for the Na2CO3 solution and the temperature of 80 oC. It was established that a kinetic mode of leaching takes place in the soda concentration range of 1.0–1.5 mol/l amid intensive stirring. It is demonstrated that, within the studied Na2CO3 concentration range, calcite СаСО3 is formed after vaterite, a less stable phase of calcite, with crystallization of double sodium-calcium carbonates Na2Са(CO3)2·nH2O (n = 0, 2, 5) occurring at the same time. With the concentration of soda being >1.5 mol/l, the process is controlled by internal diffusion. In this region, the leaching rate is independent of the Na2CO3 concentration. Formation of double carbonates is associated with an additional consumption of soda. Therefore, when using this system one should consider how CaMoO4 typically dissolves in Na2CO3 solutions. The presence of these compounds in the soda solution after molybdenum leaching may impact the recovery of Мо from the solution using the known techniques. It may also hinder the recirculation of sodium carbonates going for the second leaching cycle.