Extraction of Pb, Cu, Zn and As from Fine Dust of Copper Smelting Industry via Leaching with Sulfuric Acid

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I have read the article entitled “Extraction of Pb, Cu, Zn and As from Fine Dust of Copper Smelting Industry by Leaching with Sulfuric Acid” which is a novel and is having some potential information for publications. The authors have achieved extraction of Cu, Zn, lead from fine dust using leaching method. I am recommending to consider this article after major revision. I have observed the following comments which the authors have to address on it.

1. In the abstract, the expansion of S:L should be mentioned

2. Further, in the abstract, using optimal process parameters, the authors have mentioned about high selective extraction of Cu and Zn is achieved. Here, it is suggested to mentioned the scientific reasons for this achievements by one or two lines

3.In introduction, beginning, “The linear model…….”. Here, what is the meaning of linear model relating metal?

4. The main objectives of the present work are to be incorporated at the end of introduction part

5. Figure 1 is not clear. The resolution is to be improved

6. The authors may use X-ray photon spectroscopy and XRF to check the purity of developed materials

7. How the chemical composition fine dust as per Table 1 was tested? It has to be addressed.

8. In page no 4 of pdf file for review, “The results of the phase composition of dust determined using XRF are presented in Figure 2.”. Here, the authors have mentioned about the use of XTF. However, the caption of Figure 2 showing XRD “Figure 2. XRD pattern of fine dust from a copper smelter”. Need to be checked and addressed.

9. Y-axes label in Figure 6 is not clear. Here, the author mentioned “Extraction of Me into solution” Need clarification

10. Why the authors didn’t examine XRD and SEM with EDS analyses after extraction of metals? It has to be addressed

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for your valuable comments and recommendations. Attached are the comments and modified manuscript accordingly.

Thanks and regards,

Authors

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This work shows the possibility of hydrometal lurgical processing of fine dust from copper smelters, obtained during the converting of copper mattes of the Vanyukov process, by direct leaching with sulfuric acid. But , there are still some shortcomings in the paper, It is recommended to publish it in this journal after revision.

1、The special symbols that appear for the first time should be clearly marked with the full name，Such as“The influence of temperature, process time and the S : L ratio on the selective extraction of Pb, Zn, Cu, ........” etc.

2、The writing is not standardized, such as the superscript and subscript in Al2O3, please check carefully.

3、The figure in this paper is not clear enough, as shown in Fig1, please further improve the resolution of the figure. In addition, the arrangement of some graphs is not standardized, such as Fig3, Fig6. Some charts need to be converted into raw data and then plotted.

4、The analysis of XRD and SEM data in this article can be cited in the literature reference : Energy Environ.Mater. 2022, 5,852-8642. Three enlarged images in SEM need to mark the magnification.

5、Which element components are represented by different color components in Fig4 ?

6、There is a slight lack of discussion on the research background in the frontier. It is necessary to quote relevant research on new materials for economic sustainability, including theoretical calculation of material design and experimental synthesis of relevant references such as: (Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2019, 7(10): 5239-5247，ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIALS, 2019, 2: 234-250，ACS Applied Energy Materials, 2019, 2(9): 6288-6294，Journal of Energy Chemistry, 2021, 59:229-241 ).

7、In the process of metal extraction and storage, the content of metal in industrial fine dust, the leaching order and purity of metal need to be analyzed in detail.

8、It is necessary to consult the research on relevant materials in recent years and increase the cited literature.

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The language of the article is good as a whole, but the language expression in individual places in the text needs to be more academic.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for your valuable comments and recommendations. Attached are the comments and modified manuscript accordingly.

Thanks and regards,

Authors

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I commend the authors for their valuable research on the extraction of metals from copper smelting dust; however, I would like to highlight the importance of addressing some issues:

(1) The abstract provides a clear overview of the research but lacks a statement about the significance and broader implications of the findings. Could you briefly discuss the potential environmental and economic impact of reducing arsenic in copper smelting dust?

(2) It is essential to highlight the knowledge gap or the specific research question this study aims to address. What sets this research apart from previous studies on dust processing methods?

(3) Please provide a more detailed overview of the challenges and issues of managing fine dust from copper smelting, including environmental concerns and public health risks.

(4) You mentioned that "the chemical composition of fine dust from copper smelting industry depends mainly on the smelting process conditions." Could you briefly elaborate on how variations in smelting conditions affect dust composition?

(5) Could you clarify the specific objectives of this study in the introduction section? What are the key research questions you aimed to answer?

(6) It would be helpful to include a statement on the potential applications of the extracted metals, such as copper, zinc, and lead, to provide context for their importance.

(7) On page 2, line 89, "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjche.2018.11.016" can also be added to the references list. 

(8) In the last paragraph of the introduction, you mentioned that associated valuable metals' behavior and recovery were not considered. Given the potential significance of these metals, could you briefly discuss why they were not addressed in this study and how they might be considered in future research?

(9) Provide more details on the experimental setup, such as the size and source of the dust samples, the equipment used, and the specific leaching process conditions.

(10) Mention the standards or protocols used for the characterization tests to ensure consistency and reproducibility of the results.

(11) Include a table or figure summarizing the characteristics of the dust samples, such as particle size distribution and chemical composition, before leaching.

(12) Interpret the results in the context of the objectives and research questions in the introduction.

(13) FTIR test should determine the chemical functional groups in the dust.

(14) Discuss the implications of the finding that more than half of the arsenic remains in the lead cake, especially regarding environmental and health concerns.

(15) Address the potential challenges of implementing the proposed method on an industrial scale, including cost-effectiveness and the feasibility of preliminary removal of arsenic.

(16) Summarize the essential findings and their practical significance, emphasizing how this research contributes to the circular economy and zero waste concepts.

(17) Suggest directions for future research, particularly regarding the recovery of associated valuable metals and further optimization of the proposed dust processing technology.

(18) Review the manuscript for clarity and consistency, ensuring that all sections are logically connected and the flow of information is smooth.

(19) The manuscript has several typographical errors, including issues with chemical formula subscripts. For instance, on page 2, lines 35, 78, 88, and 89 appear incorrectly formatted. To improve the clarity and accuracy of the paper, I recommend a thorough proofreading and editing process. Please ensure that chemical notations adhere to recognized conventions for scientific writing.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The paper's language quality could be improved with careful proofreading and editing to ensure clarity and consistency throughout the manuscript.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for your valuable comments and recommendations. Attached are the comments and modified manuscript accordingly.

Thanks and regards,

Authors

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors have revised the manuscript based on my previous comments. Hence, I am recommending to accpet the revised manuscript.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Since the authors have followed all reviewer's comments, I suggest you accept the paper. 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Minor editing of English language required!