Harnessing Microwave Technology for Enhanced Recovery of Zinc from Industrial Clinker

Abstract

This article presents a cutting-edge approach to microwave-assisted processing aimed at enhancing the efficiency of zinc extraction from materials characterized by a high degree of processing complexity. The described technique encompasses two sequential phases: phase transformation under microwave irradiation and leaching in sulfuric acid at ambient temperature. During the phase transformation, implemented through the application of microwave energy, insoluble zinc phases undergo a controlled transition. The experimental results confirm that microwave calcination at 600 °C for 5–7 min is effective for converting ZnS to ZnO without the formation of ZnO∙Fe2O3. Zinc extraction from the clinker reached 46.47% after treatment with microwave radiation at a power of 25 kW for the specified duration. Thus, this study opens up prospects for environmentally friendly zinc extraction from challenging-to-process resources.

Keywords

• zinc
• clinker
• microwave roasting
• phase transformation
• leaching