Atmospheric hydrochloric and nitric acid leaching of a limonite ore from the Wolo mine area, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia

Authors

  • Sufriadin Department of Mining Engineering, Hasanuddin University, Kampus Teknik UNHAS, Jl. Poros Malino KM.6, Bontomarannu, Gowa 92171, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
  • Malyanus YEPTA Department of Mining Engineering, Hasanuddin University, Kampus Teknik UNHAS, Jl. Poros Malino KM.6, Bontomarannu, Gowa 92171, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
  • Irzal NUR Department of Mining Engineering, Hasanuddin University, Kampus Teknik UNHAS, Jl. Poros Malino KM.6, Bontomarannu, Gowa 92171, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
  • Purwanto Department of Mining Engineering, Hasanuddin University, Kampus Teknik UNHAS, Jl. Poros Malino KM.6, Bontomarannu, Gowa 92171, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
  • Rizky AMALIA Department of Mining Engineering, Hasanuddin University, Kampus Teknik UNHAS, Jl. Poros Malino KM.6, Bontomarannu, Gowa 92171, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
  • Ulva Ria IRFAN Department of Geological Engineering, Hasanuddin University, Kampus Teknik UNHAS, Jl. Poros Malino KM.6, Bontomarannu, Gowa 92171, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
  • Djabal Nur BASIR Department of Chemistry, Hasanuddin University, Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan KM.10, Tamalanrea, Makassar 90245, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
  • Tsubasa OTAKE Division of Sustainable Resources Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 8, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55713/jmmm.v34i1.1875

Keywords:

Limonite ore, X-ray diffraction, Goethite, Hydrochloric acid, Nitric acid

Abstract

The atmospheric acid leaching studies of a limonite ore sample from the Wolo mine area, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, have been performed using hydrochloric acid (HCl) and nitric acid (HNO3). The objectives of these studies were to compare the leaching degree of metals (Ni, Co, Fe, and Al) and to analyze the dissolution behavior of minerals under different acid concentrations. Mineralogical characterization of the ore sample was conducted using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction, whereas chemical composition was determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), respectively. An atmospheric leaching test was done with the variables of acid concentration, leaching duration of 90 min, and leaching temperature of 100℃. Limonite ore samples contain goethite, gibbsite, talc, quartz, and lizardite. It was revealed that as much as 92.22% of Ni and 90.14% of Fe could be leached using 3 M HCl, whereas only 63.14% of Ni and 38.74% of Fe could be extracted from limonite ore using 3 M HNO3. The higher leaching degree of Fe in HCl indicates low selectivity with Ni, which might contaminate pregnant leach solution (PLS), leading to further complications in the purification process. Results of the leaching experiment show that goethite was more easily dissolved in HCl than in HNO3.

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Published

2024-03-19

How to Cite

[1]
Sufriadin, “Atmospheric hydrochloric and nitric acid leaching of a limonite ore from the Wolo mine area, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia ”, J Met Mater Miner, vol. 34, no. 1, p. 1875, Mar. 2024.

Issue

Vol. 34 No. 1 (2024): March

Section

Original Research Articles

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