Abstract
Reaction mechanisms for the ferric chloride leaching of sphalerite are proposed based on data obtained in leaching and dual cell experiments presented in this work and in a previous study. The results from the leaching experiments show that at low concentrations the rate is proportional to [Fe3+]T 0.5 and [Cl-]T 0.43 but at higher concentrations the reaction order with respect to both [Fe3+]T and [Cl-]T decreases. Using dual cell experiments which allow the half cell reactions to be separated, increased rates are observed when NaCl is added to the anolyte and to the catholyte. The increase in rate is attributed to a direct, anodic electrochemical reaction of Cl- with the mineral. When NaCl is added only to the catholyte, a decrease in the rate is observed due to a decrease in theE 0 of the cathode which is attributed to the formation of ferric-chloro complexes. Several possible electrochemical mechanisms and mathematical models based on the Butler-Volmer relation are delineated, and of these, one model is selected which accounts for the experimentally observed changes in reaction order for both Fe3+ and Cl-. This analysis incorporates a charge transfer process for each ion and an adsorption step for ferric and chloride ions. The inhibiting effect of Fe2+ noted by previous investigators is also accounted for through a similar model which includes back reaction kinetics for Fe2+. The proposed models successfully provide a theoretical basis for describing the role of Cl-, Fe3+, and Fe2+ as well as their interrelationship in zinc sulfide leaching reactions. Possible applications of these results to chloride leaching systems involving other sulfides or complex sulfides are considered.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- A :
-
Reaction area
- R:
-
Universal gas constant
- T :
-
Temperature
- F:
-
Faraday's constant
- K :
-
Equilibrium constant
- E m :
-
Mixed potential
- [Fe3+]T :
-
Total ferric ion concentration
- [Cl-]T :
-
Total chloride ion concentration
- ks :
-
Apparent reaction rate constant for surface reaction for an isometric particle
- r 0 :
-
Initial particle radius
- dr/dt :
-
Linear reaction velocity constant
- t :
-
Elapsed time
- n ZnS :
-
Number of moles of ZnS remaining at time t
- k aj,k′aj :
-
Rate constants for the forward and reverse directions, respectively, of the anodic process given by reaction (j)
- k cj, k′cj :
-
Rate constants for the forward and reverse directions, respectively, of the cathodic process given by reaction (j)
- n aj, ncj :
-
Number of electrons transferred in the anodic or cathodic charge transfer process, respectively, given by reaction (j)
- z aj, zcj :
-
Total number of electrons transferred in the anodic and cathodic half cell reactions, respectively, given by reaction (j)
- α :
-
Fraction of ZnS reacted
- β aj,βcj :
-
Charge transfer coefficients for the anodic and cathodic process, respectively, described by reaction (j)
- θ A,θC :
-
Fraction of total available surface sites occupied by adsorbed Cl− and Fe3+, respectively
- ϕ :
-
Fraction of total available surface sites not occupied by adsorbed species
References
Z-M. Jin, G.W. Warren, and H. Henein:Metall. Trans. B, 1984, vol. 15B, pp. 5–12.
G.W. Warren:J. Metals, 1983, vol. 35(4), pp. 42–7.
G.W. Warren:J. Metals, 1982, vol. 34)4), pp. 51–5.
J. P. Wilson and W. W. Fisher:J. Metals, 1981, vol. 33(2), pp. 52–7.
H. Majima, Y. Awakura, and N. Misaki:Metall. Trans. B, 1981, vol. 12B, pp. 645–49.
J.E. Dutrizac and R.J.C. MacDonald:Metall. Trans. B, 1978, vol. 9B, pp. 543–51.
B. R. Palmer, C. O. Nebo, M. F. Rau, and M. C. Furstenau:Metall. Trans. B, 1981, vol. 12B, pp. 595–601.
M. E. Wadsworth and T-K. Zhong: Proceedings NATO Advanced Research Inst. on Hydromet. Process Fundamentals, Cambridge, U.K., July 1982, NATO Scientific Affairs Div., Brussels, Belgium.
G. P. Demopoulos: M.S.Thesis, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 1977.
R.J. Jan, M. T. Hepworth, and V. G. Fox:Metall. Trans. B, 1976, vol. 7B, pp. 353–61.
H. Su: Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Idaho. Moscow,ID, 1976.
P. C. Rath, R. K. Paramguru, and P. K. Jena:Hydrometallurgy, 1981, vol. 6, pp. 219–25.
R.Y. Wan, J. D. Miller, J. Foley, and S. Pons:Electrochemistry in Mineral and Metal Processing, Electrochemical Society, 1984, pp. 391-416.
J. N. Butler:Ionic Equilibrium, Addison-Wesley Co., Inc., Reading, lMA, 1964, p. 264.
A.R. Despic and J.O'M. Bockris:J. Chem. Phys., I960, vol. 32, p. 389.
K. J. Vetter:Electrochemical Kinetics, Academic Press, New York,NY, 1967.
J. B. Hiskey and M. E. Wadsworth:Metall. Trans. B, 1975, vol. 6B, pp. 183–90.
J.B. Hiskey:Inst. Min. Metall., 1979, vol. 88C, pp. 145–52.
J.O'M. Bockris and G. A. Razumney:Fundamental Aspects of Electrocrystallization, Plenum Press, New York, NY, 1967, p. 36.
R. A. Robinson and R. H. Stokes:Electrolyte Solutions, Academic Press,New York,NY, 1955, pp. 465, 487.
H.S. Harned and B.B. Owen:Physical Chemistry of Electrolytic Solutions, 3rd ed., Reinhold Pub. Corp., New York,NY, 1958, pp. 726–51.
D. Dobos:Electrochemical Data, Elsevier Scientific Pub. Co., Amsterdam, 1975.
H. Majima and Y. Awakura:Metall. Trans. B, 1981, vol. 12B, pp. 141–47.
J.D. Miller: inMetallurgical Treatises, J.K. Tien and J.F. Elliott, eds., AIME, Warrendale, PA, 1981, pp. 95–117.
L.W. Beckstead and J.D. Miller:Metall. Trans. B, 1977, vol. 8B, pp. 19–29.
I.H. Warren and E. Devuyst:International Symposium on Hydrometallurgy, 1972, AIME,New York,NY, pp. 229–64.
W. K. Tolley, H. H. Huang, and J. D. Miller: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Chloride Hydrometallurgy Brussels, Benelux,Metallurgie, 1977, pp. 96-133.
Y. Awakura, S. Kamei, and H. Majima:Metall. Trans. B, 1980, vol. 11B, pp. 377–81.
M.E. Wadsworth and D.R. Wadia:Trans. AIME, 1955. vol. 203, pp. 755–59.
H. Majima, Y. Awakura, and T. Mishima:Metall. Trans. B, 1984, vol. 16B, pp. 23–30.
S-H. Kim, H. Henein, and G. W. Warren:Metall. Trans. B, in press.
B. Pesic and F. A. Olson:Metall. Trans. B, 1983, vol. 14B, pp. 577–88.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Warren, G.W., Henein, H. & Jin, ZM. Reaction mechanism for the ferric chloride leaching of sphalerite. Metall Trans B 16, 715–724 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02667508
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02667508