Abstract
Arsenic alkali residue is a hazardous solid waste typically produced during antimony smelting and its comprehensive utilization is relatively difficult, with problems such as low As and Sb recovery rates, incomplete separation, and risks of secondary pollution. To address these problems, this study develops a novel method to treat arsenic alkali residue obtained from antimony smelting using a calcification transformation-carbothermal reduction process. The thermodynamic results reveal that the calcification transition increases the temperature difference between arsenic and antimony reduction, thus facilitating the separation of arsenic and antimony during the reduction process. Arsenic and antimony in the arsenic alkali residue get calcification rates of 99.67% and 98.74%, respectively, under the optimal conditions. The reduction of calcified slag under vacuum effectively separates arsenic and antimony, and the reduction rate in the calcified slag during the carbothermal reduction process is more than 99%. After the reaction and purification by vacuum distillation, As and Sb purities greater than 99.8% are achieved. Compared with traditional arsenic alkali residue treatment methods, this method can better separate and recover arsenic and antimony with higher purity.
摘要
锑冶炼砷碱渣是锑冶炼过程中产生的危险固体废渣, 目前对其进行资源化综合利用较为困难, 存在砷锑回收率低、分离不完全、可能造成二次污染等问题。为解决这些问题, 本研究以砷碱渣为原料, 采用钙化转型-碳热还原工艺对砷碱渣进行处理。热力学研究结果表明, 钙化转型拉大了砷锑还原所需要的温度区间, 有利于还原过程中砷锑的分离。在最佳条件下, 砷碱渣中的砷和锑的钙化率分别达到99.67% 和98.74%; 真空条件下对钙化渣还原可以有效分离砷、锑, 碳热还原过程中钙化渣中砷、锑的还原率均超过99%, 反应后经一次真空蒸馏提纯, 砷、锑的纯度均能达到99.8%。与传统砷碱渣处理方法相比, 该方法能更好地分离回收砷、锑, 且制备的砷、锑纯度更高。
References
TIAN Jia, WANG Yu-feng, ZHANG Xing-fei, et al. A novel scheme for safe disposal and resource utilization of arsenicalkali slag [J]. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 2021, 156: 429–437. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2021.10.029.
CHEN Bai-zhen, WANG Zhong-xi, ZHOU Zhu-sheng, et al. Industrial trial of clean production technology for secondary arsenic alkali residue [J]. Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, 2007(2): 47–49. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.0253-6099.2007.02.013. (in Chinese)
YANG Kang, QIN Wen-qing, LIU Wei. Extraction of metal arsenic from waste sodium arsenate by roasting with charcoal powder [J]. Metals, 2018, 8(7): 542. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/met8070542.
LI Jiang-shen, LIANG Han-qing. Study on the comprehensive utilization of arsenic-alkali slag in the tin mining area of Lengshuijiang City [J]. Hunan Nonferrous Metals, 2010, 26(5): 53–55, 76. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1003-5540.2010.05.016. (in Chinese)
GUO Xue-jun, WANG Kun-peng, HE Meng-chang, et al. Antimony smelting process generating solid wastes and dust: Characterization and leaching behaviors [J]. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2014, 26(7): 1549–1556. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2014.05.022.
WEN Bing, ZHOU Ai-guo, ZHOU Jian-wei, et al. Coupled S and Sr isotope evidences for elevated arsenic concentrations in groundwater from the world’s largest antimony mine, Central China [J]. Journal of Hydrology, 2018, 557: 211–221. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.12.013.
HE Meng-chang, WANG Xiang-qin, WU Feng-chang, et al. Antimony pollution in China [J]. Science of the Total Environment, 2012, 421–422: 41–50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.06.009.
PALMER K, RONKANEN A K, KLØVE B. Efficient removal of arsenic, antimony and nickel from mine wastewaters in northern treatment peatlands and potential risks in their long-term use [J]. Ecological Engineering, 2015, 75: 350–364. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2014.11.045.
FEDOROV V A, CHURBANOV M F. Ultrapure arsenic and its compounds for optical and semiconductor materials [J]. Inorganic Materials, 2016, 52(13): 1339–1357. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0020168516130021.
NAZARI A M, RADZINSKI R, GHAHREMAN A. Review of arsenic metallurgy: Treatment of arsenical minerals and the immobilization of arsenic [J]. Hydrometallurgy, 2017, 174: 258–281. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2016.10.011.
WANG Ke, WANG Qin-meng, CHEN Yuan-lin, et al. Current status of antimony metallurgical solid waste disposal [J]. Nonferrous Metal Science and Engineering, 2022, 13(1): 8–17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13264/j.cnki.ysjskx.2022.01.002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2016.10.011.
LU Hong-bo, LIU Xue-ming, LIU Feng, et al. Visible-light photocatalysis accelerates As(III) release and oxidation from arsenic-containing sludge [J]. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2019, 250: 1–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2019.03.020.
XU Li-shi, LIU Qiu. Study on the process of sulfidation and arsenic removal from arsenic alkali leachate of antimony refining [J]. Chemical Environmental Protection, 1997(5): 28–30. (in Chinese)
LI Er-ping, YANG Ting, WANG Qiang, et al. Long-term stability of arsenic calcium residue (ACR) treated with FeSO4 and H2SO4: Function of H+ and Fe(II) [J]. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2021, 420: 126549. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126549.
FEI Jiang-chi, MA Jing-jing, YANG Jin-qin, et al. Effect of simulated acid rain on stability of arsenic calcium residue in residue field [J]. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2020, 42(3): 769–780. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-019-00273-y.
ZHANG Wei-fang, LU Hong-bo, LIU Feng, et al. Hydrothermal treatment of arsenic sulfide slag to immobilize arsenic into scorodite and recycle sulfur [J]. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2021, 406: 124735. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124735.
WANG Xin, DING Jia-qi, WANG Lin-ling, et al. Stabilization treatment of arsenic-alkali residue (AAR): Effect of the coexisting soluble carbonate on arsenic stabilization [J]. Environment International, 2020, 135: 105406. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105406.
JIANG Guang-hua, MIN Xiao-bo, KE Yong, et al. Solidification/stabilization of highly toxic arsenic-alkali residue by MSWI fly ash-based cementitious material containing Friedel’s salt: Efficiency and mechanism [J]. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2022, 425: 127992. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127992.
TIAN Jia, SUN Wei, ZHANG Xing-fei, et al. Comprehensive utilization and safe disposal of hazardous arsenic-alkali slag by the combination of beneficiation and metallurgy [J]. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021, 295: 126381. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126381.
LONG Hua, ZHENG Ya-jie, PENG Ying-lin, et al. Recovery of alkali, selenium and arsenic from antimony smelting arsenic-alkali residue [J]. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2020, 251: 119673. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119673.
LONG Hua, ZHENG Ya-jie, PENG Ying-lin, et al. Separation and recovery of arsenic and alkali products during the treatment of antimony smelting residues [J]. Minerals Engineering, 2020, 153: 106379. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2020.106379.
ZHAO Zong-wen, CHAI Li-yuan, PENG Bing, et al. Arsenic vitrification by copper slag based glass: Mechanism and stability studies [J]. Journal of Non-crystalline Solids, 2017, 466–467: 21–28. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2017.03.039.
COLOMBO P, BRUSATIN G, BERNARDO E, et al. Inertization and reuse of waste materials by vitrification and fabrication of glass-based products [J]. Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science, 2003, 7(3): 225–239. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cossms.2003.08.002.
NONG Ze-xi, WANG Xing-run, SHU Xin-qian, et al. Migration characteristics of arsenic during high-temperature sintering of arsenic-containing smelting slag [J]. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2013, 7(3): 1115–1120. (in Chinese)
CHAI Li-yuan, ZHAO Zong-wen, LIANG Yan-jie, et al. Effect of CaO on the structure and arsenic fixation effect of soda-iron-boron-phosphorus glass system [J]. Nonferrous Metal Science and Engineering, 2015, 6(1): 1–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13264/j.cnki.ysjskx.2015.01.001. (in Chinese)
TAN Cheng, LI Lei, ZHONG Da-peng, et al. Separation of arsenic and antimony from dust with high content of arsenic by a selective sulfidation roasting process using sulfur [J]. Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 2018, 28(5): 1027–1035. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1003-6326(18)64740-5.
LU Wei-hong, YIN Zhou-lan. Study on thermal decomposition and arsenic removal of a silver bearing copper ore [J]. International Journal of Mineral Processing, 2016, 153: 1–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.minpro.2016.05.016.
LIU Zi-xiang, LIANG Jia-yun, SUN Jing-bo, et al. Treatment of calcium-arsenic slag and preparation process of metallic arsenic by iron-thermal reduction[J]. Nonferrous Metal Science and Engineering, 2022, 13(2): 22–30. (in Chinese)
LIU Wei, LIANG Chao, QIN Wen-qing, et al. An arsenic-alkali residue reduction melting treatment method: CN108220626B [P]. [2020-01-17].
GUO Xin-yu, ZHAO Yun, ZHA Guo-zheng, et al. Research of the evaporation law of elemental antimony under vacuum [J]. Vacuum, 2022, 200: 110985. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2022.110985.
HUANG Zhan-chao. Study on vacuum purification of metallic antimony and preparation of high purity antimony [D]. Kunming: Kunming University of Science and Technology, 2003. (in Chinese)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
TIAN Lei, XU Zhi-feng formulated the overall research goals and provided financial support. YI Qin provided and analyzed the experimental data. GONG Ao, YI Qin conducted thermodynamic analysis. YI Qin, XU Jia-cong, WEN Sheng-hui conducted the literature review. YI Qin wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors responded to reviewer comments and revised the final version.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
YI Qin, GONG Ao, XU Jia-cong, WEN Sheng-hui, XU Zhi-feng, TIAN Lei declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Foundation item: Project(2019YFC1907405) supported by the National Key R&D Program of China; Projects(52064021, 52074136) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Project(20204BCJL23031) supported by the Jiangxi Provincial Cultivation Program for Academic and Technical Leaders of Major Subjects, China; Project (20202ACB213002) supported by the Jiangxi Provincial Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, China; Project (2019KY09) supported by the Merit-based Postdoctoral Research in Jiangxi Province, China; Project (JXUSTQJBJ2020004) supported by the Program of Qingjiang Excellent Young Talents, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, China; Project(2021ACB204015) supported by the Distinguished Professor Program of Jinggang Scholars in Institutions of Higher Learning, Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province, China
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yi, Q., Gong, A., Xu, Jc. et al. Preparation of arsenic-antimony from arsenic alkali residue by calcification transformation-carbonthermal reduction. J. Cent. South Univ. 30, 2193–2204 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-023-5379-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-023-5379-4
Key words
- arsenic alkali residue
- arsenic-antimony separation
- calcification transition
- carbothermic reduction
- monolithic arsenic-antimony