EJMP&EP





Optimisation of pure stibnite leaching conditions by response surface methodology

F. Vegliò1* and S. Ubaldini2

1Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica e di Processo "G. B.Bonino", Universita’ degli Studi di Genova, via Opera Pia 15, 16145 Genova, Italy
2Istituto per il Trattamento dei Minerali, CNR, via Bolognola, 7, 00138 Roma, Italy

Received 25 May 2001; accepted 28 November 2001



ABSTRACT

In the present work chemical basic leaching of pure Stibnite (Sb2S3) by Na2S and NaOH in different experimental conditions at 40°C, has been studied in order to optimise the reagent concentrations for the antimony dissolution process. Response Surface Methodology has been used to find the best experimental concentration to maximise the Sb extraction yield: 98-100% of antimony recovery was obtained by using Na2S and NaOH amounts of about 1 g Na2S/g and 1 g NaOH/g of pure stibnite respectively.


Keywords: stibnite; basic leaching; optimisation; response surface methodology



* Corresponding author
   E-mail : veglio@unige.it