A Study Of Mechanical Activation Enhancing Indium Leaching From Antimony Oxide And Separation Between Antimony And Indium

In the production of lead-antimony smelting process in Guangxi, China, much industrial residue was produced and hardly utilized repeatedly, worsen the environment seriously. In the review of the production of indium, antimony as well as mechanical activation and its application in hydrometallurgy, the process of enhancing leaching rare metals from their residue and separation by mechanical activation method was provided. Combined with the theoretical analysis, the optimum processing conditions was obtained. Some work had been finished to industrialize this method.With the material of Jamesonite's antimony oxide provided by a plant of Nandan, Guangxi, this experiment investigated the effect of various factors (Acidity, temperature, solid-liquid ratio and activation time) on the metal's leaching as well as the extraction of antimony. The research work included:1 Through the orthogonal and single factor experiments, plotted the regular graphs, determined the optimum processing conditions.2 Compared the leaching effect on antimony oxide between normal and mechanical activation processing conditions, analysis the different influence of mechanical activation on indium and antimony.3 With the new type of leaching agent of mixing alkali liquor, enhancing the leaching of antimony but restraining that of indium from antimony-indium deposit, and determine its optimum leaching conditions.Through experiments, the conclusions can be drawn as follows:1 Under mechanical activation conditions, the effect of each factor influencing theindium leaching is: the initial concentration of sulfuric acid>the initial concentration of hydrochloric acid>activation time>liquid-solid ratio. Compared with the results of normal leaching, the activated leaching rate of indium is higher but that of antimony, lower. It proved that mechanical activation technical process enhanced the leaching rate of indium but restrained that of antimony.2 In the mechanic stirring mill equipment, the optimum conditions of leaching indium from antimony oxide is: the initial concentration of sulfuric acid 3.0mol/l, the initial concentration of hydrochloric acid 1.0mol/L,activation time 30min, stirring speed 575rpm, liquid-solid ratio 5.0. Under these conditions, the leaching rate of indium can reach 63.1%.3 Leaching the antimony-indium deposit with a mixing agent of sodium hydroxide and potassium sodium tartrate tetrahydrate, the optimum conditions of the separation between indium and antimony is: the mole ration between potassium sodium tartrate tetrahydrate and antimony 1.5:1, the initial concentration of sodium hydroxide 2.0mol/L, reaction temperature 65℃, leaching time 40min and liquid-solid ratio 5. Under these conditions, the leaching rate of antimony can reach 90.7%, but that of indium is only 0.9%. So it achieves the separation between indium and antimony.4 In order to recover and utilize resource of indium fully, attain a better economic and social efficiency, this research has provided a new way.