Production of a coal-based activated material from anthracite and its potential applications in hydrometallurgy

Abstract

Activated carbon was obtained from an anthracite mineral (96,6 wt % of fixed carbon) from the Páramo del Almorzadero (town of Cerrito, Santander). The anthracite was activated in two stages: firstly, a chemical activation with acids was used for increasing the reactivity of the external surface and facilitating the access to the internal surface of the coal. Secondly, a physical activation at temperature of 800 oC, 1.000 oC and 1.200 oC with CO2 was conducted. The effect of the operating conditions during the activation process on the activity of the coal was evaluated, and the optimum conditions to achieve a product with the better characteristics, i.e., a specific surface of 107,4 m2/g, were obtained. The potential of this activated coal in hydrometallurgy (specifically in recovery of gold) was evaluated. A gold adsorption capacity of 6,6 kg/ton of activated coal was obtained.

Keywords

• activated coal
• anthracite
• activation
• adsorption