ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Assessment of a Nigerian lead ore potential for industrial value additions by sulfamic acid solution

Alafara A. Baba, Rasaki A. Gbadamosi, Abdulrasheed O. Yusuf, Mustapha A. Raji, Abdullah S. Ibrahim, and Christianah O. Adeyemi

Department of Industrial Chemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

E-mail: baalafara@yahoo.com

Received: 10 April 2019  Accepted: 23 August 2019

Abstract:

The potential of a Nigerian lead ore in form of galena and anglesite containing 72.82 wt% Pb, 19.95 wt % S, 3.07 wt% Au and 2.77 wt% As, as major elements was treated by sulfamic acid (H₃NSO₃) solution. The influence of acid concentration, reaction temperature, stirring speed and particle size on the extent of ore dissolution were properly determined. From the results obtained, the dissolution of lead ore increases with increasing H₃NSO₃ concentration, reaction temperature, stirring speed and decreasing particle size. At a set of experimental conditions (0.75 mol/L H₃NSO₃, − 70 + 90 µm, 320 rpm, 70 °C), 68.2% of the initial 10 g/L ore reacted within 120 min. The calculated apparent activation energy of 28.35 kJ/mol with reaction order of 0.758 confirmed and supported the proposed diffusion controlled mechanism for the dissolution process appeared to be first-order relation. The leach liquor at optimal conditions as analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry were found to contain 2861 mg/L (68.2%) Pb²⁺, 270 mg/L (6.44%) Fe²⁺ and 185 mg/L (5.34%) Zn²⁺ as major species.

Keywords: Galena; Sulfamic acid; Dissolution kinetic; Leaching; Characterization

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-019-00915-6

Chemical Papers 74 (3) 837–845 (2020)