METHOD OF LEACHING A MATERIAL CONTAINING ZINC OXIDE, ZINC SILICATE AND/OR ZINC FERRATE

摘要

The invention relates to a method for recovering zinc from a zinc oxide bearing material containing silicates. According to the method, the leaching of zinc compounds is carried out in circumstances where the silicates remain undissolved and consequently do not cause filtering problems. The silicate bearing residue is treated in a Waelz process, so that the major part of the silicic acid contained in the silicates is combined in the iron silicate slag formed in the Waelz process, and the zinc is returned into leaching mainly in oxidic form.