Leaching of Molybdenite by Hydrochloric Acid Solution Containing Sodium Chlorate

Abstract

Molybdenum is widely used in many materials; thus, its recovery from ores and secondary resources has attracted considerable attention. In this study, the leaching of molybdenite ore using hydrochloric acid containing sodium chlorate as an oxidizing agent was studied. The effects of several variables, such as the concentrations of HCl and NaClO 3 , reaction temperature and time, and pulp density, on the leaching of the ore were investigated. Under strong acidic and oxidizing conditions, the sulfide in the ore was dissolved as a sulfate ion, which formed gypsum with Ca(II), leading to a decrease in the leaching percentage of Mo(VI) from the ore. The leaching percentage of molybdenum was greater than 90%, while those of iron, calcium, and silicon were 38, 29, and 67%, respectively, under the optimum conditions: 2.0 M HCl, 0.5 M NaClO 3 , pulp density of 5 g/L, temperature of 90 °C, and treatment time of 60 min.