Investigation of lead extraction process from galena concentrates by full factorial design

Abstract

Nowadays the use of environment-friendly processes is gaining an increasing importance in metallurgy. Environmental regulations are continuously making it difficult to produce lead from galena concentrates by pyrometallurgical means. In this work, the hydrometallurgical extraction process of lead from galena concentrates supplied from Balya-Turkey and Koni Mansur-Tajikistan deposits in nitric acid solutions is studied. The chemical analyses were conducted with XRF and EDX while mineralogical analysis was carried out with XRD. The galena concentrate was ground and sieved till the - 63 µm particle size and used for further extraction processes. The extraction experiments were conducted using Full Factorial experimental design technique. Temperature, acid solution concentration and particle size were the operating parameters. Stirring speed was kept constant during the tests. After the extraction processes solid-liquid separation was carried out and the amount of lead in solution was determined using FAAS. The results were analyzed using MINITAB 15.0 statistical software program.