Abstract
In this study, antimony production from a stibnite concentrate (Sb2S3) was performed in one step using a molten salt electrolysis method and borax as an electrolyte. Electrochemical reduction of the stibnite concentrate was performed at 800°C under galvanostatic conditions and explained in detail by the reactions and intermediate compounds formed in the borax. The effects of current density (100–800 mA·cm−2) and electrolysis time (10–40 min) on cathodic current efficiency and antimony yields were systematically investigated. During the highest current efficiency, which was obtained at 600 mA·cm−2, direct metal production was possible with 62% cathodic current efficiency and approximately 6 kWh/kg energy consumption. At the end of the 40-min electrolysis duration at 600 mA·cm−2 current density, antimony reduction reached 30.7 g and 99% of the antimony fed to the cell was obtained as metal.
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The authors would like to thank Eti Bakır Halıköy İşletmeleri A.S for supplying stibnite concentrate.
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Kartal, L., Daryal, M.B., Şireli, G.K. et al. One-step electrochemical reduction of stibnite concentrate in molten borax. Int J Miner Metall Mater 26, 1258–1265 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-019-1867-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-019-1867-9