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Kinetics of Yttrium Dissolution from Alkaline Fusion on Zircon Tailings

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Abstract

We studied yttrium extraction from untreated zircon sand processing waste tailings. Xenotime mineral as the rare earth element source with an abundance of yttrium (REY) was detected in sufficient grade for extraction. As much as 9.03% yttrium exists in zircon tailings (analysed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry). The presence of yttrium was confirmed by X-ray diffractometry in xenotime minerals, which are yttrium carriers (Y-PO4). The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of leaching conditions on yttrium recovery from zircon sand after alkaline fusion treatment. Alkaline fusion was chosen to decompose phosphate into hydroxide in the xenotime mineral, which will reduce further required hydrometallurgical processing. Alkaline fusion was carried out for 3 h at 450 °C, with a ratio of sodium hydroxide to zircon tailings sand of ~ 1:1. The alkaline fusion product was leached with water, followed by hydrochloric acid treatment to leach the yttrium. Yttrium recovery reached 87% under optimum conditions (60 °C, 1 M HCl, and solid-to-liquid ratio = 1/10 for 7.5 min). A suitable model for yttrium dissolution with hydrochloric acid was diffusion through a solid particle ash layer. The calculated activation energy (EA) for this model was 20.21 kJ/mol.

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Funding

We appreciate the financial support from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia (RTA Program) and PSTA – BATAN, Indonesia for the use of the analytical instruments required to complete this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering (Sustainable Mineral Processing Research Group), Faculty of Engineering, UGM, Jl. Grafika No.2, Kampus UGM, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia

    Gyan Prameswara, Iga Trisnawati, Panut Mulyono, Agus Prasetya & Himawan Tri Bayu Murti Petrus

  2. Center for Accelerator Science and Technology, National Nuclear Energy Agency, Jl. Babarsari Kotak Pos 6101 ykbb, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia

    Iga Trisnawati & Herry Poernomo

  3. Unconventional Georesources Research Center, Faculty of Engineering, UGM, Jl. Grafika No.2, Kampus UGM, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia

    Agus Prasetya & Himawan Tri Bayu Murti Petrus

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  1. Gyan Prameswara
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Correspondence to Agus Prasetya or Himawan Tri Bayu Murti Petrus.

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Prameswara, G., Trisnawati, I., Poernomo, H. et al. Kinetics of Yttrium Dissolution from Alkaline Fusion on Zircon Tailings. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 37, 1297–1305 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-020-00220-x

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