Features of the Hydrosulfate Method for Processing Alumina-Containing Raw Materials in a Closed Reagent Cycle

Abstract

The decrease in the availability of high-quality bauxites makes the processing of high-silica raw materials inevitable, and in this regard, it is necessary to develop acid–salt methods suitable for these ores. The purpose of the work was to study various stages of the hydrosulfate method for processing alumina-containing raw materials on the example of nepheline concentrate in order to investigate the possibilities of their improvement. A. The distribution of various macro- and meso-components of leaching between phases at the stage of isolation of ammonium alum depending on sulfate concentration were experimentally and theoretically studied. It was shown that, with an increase in the total concentration of sulfate in the equilibrium mother liquor, the concentration of main impurity components, including iron, in a solid phase decreases significantly. To obtain relatively pure alum, it was recommended to use ammonium hydrosulfate with a concentration of at least 4 mol/L. B. Different embodiments for further purification of alum were explored. It was found that the use of the recrystallization process in the presence of small additions of sodium thiosulfate reduces the content of iron impurities in alum by almost an order of magnitude. C. A method for isolating purer final product was demonstrated. Isolation of ammonium aluminum carbonate hydroxide (ASACH), as a precursor of high-purity alumina, using ammonium bicarbonate is currently the most promising method in the hydrosulfate technology. In combination with the process of recrystallization, the preparation of AACH makes it possible to eliminate the need for expensive methods of selective sorption or extraction for deep purification of aqueous solutions of alum.

Keywords

• alumina production
• nepheline
• hydrosulfate method
• closed-loop processes
• alum purification
• ammonium aluminum carbonate hydroxide