IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i21p15515-d1272237.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Removal of Base Metals from Mine Tailings in Chloride- and Seawater-Based Media Followed by Solvent Extraction

Author

Listed:
  • Tamara Azevedo Schueler

    (Institute of Mineral and Waste Processing, Recycling and Circular Economy Systems, Clausthal University of Technology, Walther-Nernst-Str. 9, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany)

  • Paula Fernandes de Aguiar

    (Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Athos da Silveira Ramos 149, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil)

  • Bengi Yagmurlu

    (Institute of Mineral and Waste Processing, Recycling and Circular Economy Systems, Clausthal University of Technology, Walther-Nernst-Str. 9, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany)

  • Daniel Goldmann

    (Institute of Mineral and Waste Processing, Recycling and Circular Economy Systems, Clausthal University of Technology, Walther-Nernst-Str. 9, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany)

Abstract

The high volume of mine tailings generated during mining activities poses significant worldwide storage risks. However, these tailings often contain valuable metals that can be recovered. Therefore, reprocessing mine tailings has emerged as a crucial strategy to assess secondary metals resources and mitigate storage risks. Furthermore, the mining industry’s extensive use of freshwater necessitates exploring alternative water sources. In this study, the leaching of base metals from mine tailings in chloride-based media was investigated. Approximately 52% Cu, 73% Zn, and 100% Pb were leached from the sample in the presence of HCl and NaCl. The substitution of freshwater with seawater yielded comparable results, demonstrating the potential of seawater as an alternative freshwater source that does not compromise leaching effectiveness. Additionally, 77% of Pb precipitated as PbSO 4 from the pregnant leach solution. Through solvent extraction, approximately 100% Cu was recovered using LIX 984 as an extractant, and 71% Zn with D2EHPA. The use of Fe 0 significantly reduced the co-extraction of Fe in the Zn recovery step. Overall, this study provides a potential route for reprocessing mine tailings, ensuring maximum leaching and efficient recovery of metals from sulfide mine tailings.

Suggested Citation

  • Tamara Azevedo Schueler & Paula Fernandes de Aguiar & Bengi Yagmurlu & Daniel Goldmann, 2023. "Removal of Base Metals from Mine Tailings in Chloride- and Seawater-Based Media Followed by Solvent Extraction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:21:p:15515-:d:1272237
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/21/15515/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/21/15515/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:21:p:15515-:d:1272237. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.