Boon, Nico

Du Laing, Gijs

Folens, Karel

García-Timermans, Cristina

Hennebel, Tom

Ostermeyer, Pieter

Williamson, Adam

English

Ghent University Academic Bibliography

   | Bio-metallurgical process for extraction and recovery of lead from low-grade mineral tailings of zinc refiningKarel Folens1,2, Adam Williamson1,2, Cristina García-Timermans1, Pieter Ostermeyer1,Gijs Du Laing3,*, Nico Boon1, Tom Hennebel11Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium 2SIM vzw, Technologiepark 48, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium3Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry (Ecochem), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium*Corresponding author. Tel: +329 264 5995, E-mail: gijs.dulaing@ugent.beLead (Pb) is an important by-product during zinc extraction and refining from franklinite (ZnFe2O4) and jarosite (KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6) minerals. It is persistent during hydrometallurgical extraction using concentrated sulfuric acid and resides in a gypsum (CaSO4 · 2 H2O) tailing which has unfavourable properties for pyro-metallurgical treatment. Currently, the contaminated residue is stored on land, despite its relatively high metal content. Valorisation of the residual metal content and bulk gypsum matrix in e.g. construction material, is envisioned during the proposed bio-metallurgical extraction and recovery process. Heterotrophic bioleaching is done through the production of organic lixiviants by microorganisms, Aspergillus niger in this case, in the presence of and external energy and carbon source. Due to their low-carbon impact and operation at ambient temperature, bio-metallurgical extraction techniques have distinct advantages over traditional refining processes. Complete Pb extraction from the mineral tailings is achieved upon optimal bioleaching conditions. A design of experiments in which the concentration of citrate as lixiviant, the solutions pH and incubation time were varied, resulted in a Pb concentration of 15 g/L in the pregnant leachate. Full depletion of the substrate was confirmed by SEM-EDX measurements. Finally, an electrochemical system of two-compartments that operated potentiostatically at 3.00 V, was used to induce lead precipitation in the metal-bearing anolyte, whilst ensuring alkaline conditions for consecutive bioleaching at the cathode compartment. Characterization of the recovered lead precipitate by ICP-OES analysis, PXRD and Raman spectroscopy indicated for an amorphous, white residue containing 25 m% Pb.Keywords: Bioleaching, Environmental clean-up, Lead extraction, Metal recovery

Bio-metallurgical process for extraction and recovery of lead from low-grade mineral tailings of zinc refining

https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8679374/file/8679376.pdf

Bio-metallurgical process for extraction and recovery of lead from low-grade mineral tailings of zinc refining

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Ghent University Academic Bibliography