Thermochemical Processing of Low-Grade Ores and Mineral-Related Wastes
A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 5453
Special Issue Editor
Interests: mineral waste (characterisation, valorisation); coal fly ash; mine tailings; acid mine drainage; metal extraction; geopolymerisation; nanomaterials; carbon capture and mineralisation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The development of new technological processes for metal recovery from untapped low-grade ores and mineral wastes is emerging as an area of great interest, owing to the decreasing grades and quality of primary ores, the precarious balance of supply and demand of critical raw materials (CRMs), and the modern-day concepts of “sustainable mining” and “circular economy.” Historically, metal extraction processes have consisted of one or more pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and/or bio-hydrometallurgical processing steps. These traditional processes used for metal extraction from primary, high-grade ores are generally uneconomical when applied to low-grade ores and mineral wastes. The development of novel or the modification of existing processing routes is therefore needed. In recent years, thermochemical processing of low-grade ores and mineral wastes has received renewed attention. This Special Issue will focus on recent advances in thermochemical processing of low-grade ores and mineral wastes, including but not limited to the following topics:
- Alkali roasting-leaching methods using e.g. NaOH, Na2CO3, CaCO3
- Ammonium salt roasting-leaching methods using e.g. (NH4)2SO4, NH4Cl
- Microwave-enhanced extraction methods
- Thermochemical processing applied to e.g., mine tailings, coal fly ash, individual minerals (e.g., serpentine)
- Extraction of rare earth elements, aluminium and other metals by thermochemical processing
- Thermochemical decomposition of extraction agents (e.g., (NH4)2SO4)
- Thermodynamics and kinetics studies
- Techno-economic and exergy studies
Dr. Frédéric J. Doucet
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- Thermochemical processing
- Thermal solid-solid processing
- Alkali roasting-leaching process
- Microwave-assisted processing
- Ammonium salts
- Mineral waste
- Low-grade ores
- Mineral recovery
- Metal extraction
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Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
1. Title: Thermochemical activation of carbon steel EAF and FeCr slags for chromium and vanadium leaching
Authors: Miskufova A., Kaèalová O., Havlik T., Piroskova J., Liptai P., Oráè.D.
Abstract: The subject of this work represents the results from the thermochemical activation of ground (-125 +90 ¦Ìm) carbon steel EAF and FeCr slag at the temperatures up to 600 ¡ãC with various chemical reagents. The aim was to chemically attack the stabile slag structure and/or compounds containing Cr and V and convert them into the water soluble forms. The goal was to recover Cr and V and at the same time preserve slag matrix (oxides of Fe, Si, Al, Ca, Mg) for its further utilization. In the first stage the different reagents like Na2O2, NaOH-NaCl, NaOH-NaNO3 NaOH-Na2O2, K2S2O7, NaH2PO4xH2O, (NH4)2SO4-KHSO4, KOH, KOH-K2CO3, H3BO3, Na2SO4.10H2O have been proposed and tested for slags roasting followed by water leaching in order to recover Cr and V. The ozone and microwave radiation were used for leaching after thermal or thermochemical activation of slags, too under specific conditions. It follows from the results that K2S2O7, H3BO3, Na2SO4.10H2O are absolutely ineffective and the most prospective reagent for thermochemical activation of mainly Cr compounds in the slags was identified NaOH. Thus, in the second stage the influence of thermochemical activation conditions on Cr and V leaching efficiency applied in the next step was investigated in more details. Temperature of 500 ¡ãC was proven as the most suitable temperature for roasting and Cr recovery after water leaching for both of used slags. Increasing of roasting temperature to 600 ¡ãC does not provide an improvement in Cr or V leaching. The application of ozone and microwave during leaching was not effective in the leaching of roasted slags with NaOH at 500 ¡ãC. The both slags required different NaOH amount to achieve the highest Cr and V leaching efficiencies after roasting and leaching results differs, too. This phenomenon was caused by their diverse chemical, mineralogical composition and structure. The highest leaching efficiencies 61.62 % Cr and 49.74 % V for CS EAF slag and 80.61 % Cr and 41.86 % V for FeCr slag were achieved under these condition: CS EAF slag/ NaOH ratio = 12/8, addition of 16 g H2O, 500¡ãC, 2 hrs and FeCr slag/NaOH = 16/8, addition of 16 g H2O, 500¡ãC, 2 hrs. The addition of oxidants at the roasting (Na2O2, NaNO3) does not caused increasing of Cr nor V leaching efficiency during leaching what was in the contrary to other studies. Maximum leaching efficiency of vanadium (89.4 % V for CS EAF slag and 54.54 % V for FeCr slag) was achieved at the roasting of slags with KOH at conditions: 4 g of slags, 16 g KOH, 400 ¡ãC, 2 hrs and after water leaching at 60¡ãC. On the other hand, during alkaline roasting iron compounds react with NaOH forming NaFeO2, what cause further hydrolysis of sodium ferrite in water during leaching. This phenomenon may disturb an idea for selective leaching of Cr/V from thermochemically activated iron containing slags and slag matrix preservation.