Process for the treatment of electric arc furnace dust

摘要

In a process for the treatment of electric arc furnace (EAF) dust, the dust is first subjected to atmospheric leaching with a ferric chloride solution and thereafter subjected to treatment in an autoclave at an elevated temperature and pressure for conversion of low temperature stable goethite (FeO.OH) to a filterable crystalline hematite (Fe2O3) in an acidic chloride solution. Zinc is recovered from the solution by solvent extraction using a solvating extractant followed by stripping and zinc recovery by electrolysis of zinc chloride solution. Lead is separated from the solution by cooling to precipitate lead chloride.