HYDROMETALLURGICAL TREATMENT FOR THE PURIFICATION OF WAELZ OXIDES THROUGH LIXIVIATION WITH SODIUM CARBONATE

摘要

This process allows the elimination of contaminants from waelz oxide, (chlorine, sodium, potassium, sulfur and fluorine, fundamentally), by means of its hydrometallurgic treatment in the following stages - Leaching with sodium carbonate in warm aqueous alkaline medium. - Solid - liquid separation of the effluent and the solid material. - Purification of the effluent by the elimination of the heavy metals, and optionally, the undesired anions. - Washing with water of the solid material obtained after-the sodium leaching. - Solid - liquid separation of the water and the purified waelz oxide. - Recirculation and warming of the effluent obtained from the washing stage, for its reutilization in the sodium leaching stage.