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ELECTROWINNING OF METALLIC IRON FROM HEMATITE LEACHING

SOLUTIONS WITH REACTIVE ELECTRODIALYSIS CELLS

Poster · July 2018

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 Euromembrane 2018
ELECTROWINNING OF METALLIC IRON FROM HEMATITE LEACHING SOLUTIONS WITH RED CELLS

Gerardo Cifuentes1)*, Aldo Ahumada1), Manuel Muñoz1), Belén Garrido1) and Magdalena Cifuentes2)
1)Metallurgical Engineering Department, University of Santiago of Chile (USACH) Av. L.B. O’Higgins 3363, Estación Central, Santiago, Chile, 9170022.
2)Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Department, Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV)
Camino de Vera S/N, 46022-Valencia, España.
gerardo.cifuentes@usach.cl

Iron is distributed throughout the world, it is the fourth most abundant element in the earth crust being 4.7% of the total. The main iron minerals are magnetite (Fe3O4, 72.3% Fe), hematite
(Fe2O3, 69.9% Fe), siderite (FeCO3, 48.3% Fe) y goethite (FeO(OH), 62.9% Fe).
INTRODUCTION
The metallurgy of iron is well known as “the steel industry”, which studies the process of obtaining the maximum purity of it, through reduction reactions in furnaces by the addition of carbon.
On the other hand, if the mineral presents impurities that affect the quality of the pig iron, a concentration process is required, such as: magnetic concentration, concentration by gravity, the
Wilfley table and concentration by flotation.
Taking advantage of the magnetic property of iron ores, the magnetic concentration process is the used one. Separating the species of interest from the gangue. The different minerals, which
are part of the ore, will tend to interact with the magnetic separator in an upper or lower grade depending on the magnetic susceptibility they have. The Chilean iron deposits are composed
mostly by Magnetite, which favors the mineral concentration since it requires less magnetic intensity (Gauss) for its separation.
Therefore, due to the weak magnetic susceptibility of Hematite large quantities of rich gangue in this mineral have been accumulated in the concentrator plants, and considering its high iron
content (70%), there is a need to search a sustainable and environmentally friendly process to recover that iron.
It is due to study the feasibility of iron electrowinning (EW) from a PLS (Pregnant Leaching Solution) derived from the leaching with hydrochloric acid of the non-magnetic concentration
discards.
Introduction Experimental
Iron is distributed throughout the world, it is the fourth most The waste iron ore sample was analyzed mineralogically by XRD At first, reactive electrodialysis (RED) tests with cationic
abundant element in the earth crust being 4.7% of the total. The using a Siemens D5000 equipment, which determined the membrane were performed to determine the best performance of
main iron minerals are magnetite (Fe3O4, 72.3% Fe), hematite presence of 90% hematite. The ore was crushed, milled and electrode pair against the operating conditions. In these tests
(Fe2O3, 69.9% Fe), siderite (FeCO3, 48.3% Fe) y goethite sieved using specific opening sieves to obtain the desired particle direct leaching (unconditioned) PLS was used and three different
(FeO(OH), 62.9% Fe). size fractions to be used in the leaching tests. The electrochemical current density values 300, 500 and 700 A/m2. (Table 1). The
The metallurgy of iron is well known as “the steel industry”, reactions involved in the RED process are the reduction of the tested electrodes pair (anode-cathode) were: stainless steel 316L-
which studies the process of obtaining the maximum purity of it, ferrous ion, present in the catholyte, to metallic Fe from the aluminium, stainless steel 316L-stainless steel 316L and stainless
through reduction reactions in furnaces by the addition of circulation of PLS, and the oxidation of water coming from the steel 316L-A36 steel
carbon. On the other hand, if the mineral presents impurities circulation of sodium sulfate as anolyte. Figure 1. In order to
that affect the quality of the final iron, a concentration process is control the secondary reactions, a cationic membrane was used to
required, such as: magnetic concentration, concentration by avoid the pass of chloride ions for their oxidation and to generate Figure 2: RED cell used:
gravity, the Wilfley table and concentration by flotation. gaseous chlorine, and thus to regenerate the leaching agent HCl a)Design , b) Open view of
a)
Taking advantage of the magnetic property of iron ores, the from the catholyte discharged. Figure 2. RED cell, and c) Closed
magnetic concentration process is the used one. Separating the view of RED cell.
species of interest from the gangue. The different minerals,
which are part of the ore, will tend to interact with the magnetic
separator in an upper or lower grade depending on the magnetic
susceptibility they have. The Chilean iron deposits are composed b) c)
mostly by Magnetite, which favors the mineral concentration
since it requires less magnetic intensity (Gauss) for its separation.
Therefore, due to the weak magnetic susceptibility of Hematite Table 1: Test conditions of RED
large quantities of rich gangue in this mineral have been Test
2
i (A/m ) Pair of electrodes (Anode-Cathode) Surfactant (g/L)
accumulated in the concentrator plants, and considering its high P1 300 316L Stainless Steel-Aluminum -
P2 300 316L Stainless Steel-316L Stainless Steel -
iron content (70%), there is a need to search a sustainable and P3 500 316L Stainless Steel-316L Stainless Steel -
environmentally friendly process to recover that iron. P4 300 316L Stainless Steel-A36 Stainless Steel -
P5 500 316L Stainless Steel-A36 Stainless Steel -
It is due to study the feasibility of iron electrowinning (EW) from P6 700 316L Stainless Steel-A36 Stainless Steel -
a PLS (Pregnant Leaching Solution) derived from the leaching P7 700 316L Stainless Steel-A36 Stainless Steel -

with hydrochloric acid of the non-magnetic concentration
discards
Effect of current density on different pairs of electrodes used
In la Fig. 1 are showing the results of the electrolysis tests
with PLS obtained from the leaching of hematite. In this case
an aluminium cathode was used, a remarkable perforation is
observed in this electrode (Fig. 2, (a)). Aluminum has a
electrode standard potential of -1.66 V SHE, well below the
cathode potential in the system used to reduce iron, which is
why aluminum oxidizes to its state Al3+, forming alumina
(Al2O3). Without However, in the presence of the
chlorinated medium this layer of alumina is attacked by
pitting corrosion leaving exposed the aluminum surface,
until you reach the total perforation of the cathode. When
are using stainless steel cathodes (Fig. 2, (a) and (b)) and A36
steel (Fig. 2, (d), (e) and (f)), it is observed that as the higher
current density increases the deposit obtained
Figure 1: RED cell and hydraulic schema used. P8 700 316L Stainless Steel-A36 Stainless Steel 0.25
P9 700 316L Stainless Steel-A36 Stainless Steel 0.5
P10 700 316L Stainless Steel-A36 Stainless Steel 1.0
RESULTS
Effect of pH Effect of surfactant concentration
The PLS electrolyte presented a very low pH value (high As shown in Fig. 5, the surfaces of the iron deposits do not have
acidity) and, therefore, high concentration of hydrogen ions the same characteristics, since, in the presence of the surfactant
(greater than 100 g/L), which generated a scarce deposit in and as it increases its concentration, increases the mass, roughness
the electrolysis experiments due to the hydrogen evolution and cracking of the Fe reservoir, in addition to achieving an
on the cathode. Towards more alkaline solutions the increase in the system current efficiency.
potential difference is increased for the reduction of the However, the test responses in the absence of the surfactant (Fig.
proton (hydronium ion) since the equilibrium line H+/H2 has 5, (a)) are comparable to the assay with 1 g/L (Fig. 5, (d)), as to the
a negative slope (blue dashed line, Fig. 2), making it difficult deposited mass and the current efficiency, differing in that the
to transform the hydronium to gaseous hydrogen. While the deposit of the experiences with surfactant is observed more stable
iron is not altered since its reaction is independent of the pH and homogeneous.
and the difference of potential remains constant. Finally, On the other hand, the surfactant played an important role in the
from a logical point of view it is favorable iron EW from quality of the deposit. Although there are no differences in the
alkaline medium due to the low activity of the hydrogen ion efficiency of current or the mass obtained in the lab test, if these
have a high surface quality stable and firm because the surfactant
acted as inhibitor of hydrogen ions homogenizing their action and
thus Generating a surface and/or deposit of a higher quality

Figure 3: Cathodic iron deposit on different anode-cathode

Figure 4: Iron pH-Potential diagram in aqueous media
pairs of electrodes used: a) P1 test at 300 A/m2, 316L
Stainless Steel-Aluminum; b) P2 test at 300 A/m2, 316L Figure 5: Cathodic iron deposits using 316L Stainless Steel-
Stainless Steel-316L Stainless Steel; c) P3 test at 500 A/m2, A36 Stainless Steel pair of electrodes with different
316L Stainless Steel-316L Stainless Steel; d) P4 test at 300 surfactant (Guar gum) concentration in the electrolyte: a) P7
A/m2, 316L Stainless Steel-A36 Stainless Steel; e) P5 test at test without surfactant; b) P8 test with 0.25 g/L; c) P9 test
500 A/m2, 316L Stainless Steel-A36 Stainless Steel; f) P6 test with 0.5 g/L; and d) P10 test with 1 g/L
at 700 A/m2, 316L Stainless Steel-A36 Stainless Steel.
CONCLUSIONS
Finally, from the results obtained, it is inferred that it is possible to electro-obtain metallic iron from solutions of conditioned PLS independent of the presence of additives, although
its presence plays an important role in terms of the surface quality of the deposit.

Acknowledgments
The authors express their gratitude to the DICYT of the University of Santiago, Chile and Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Department, Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), Spain. The
authors express their gratitude too to the CYTED (Project 318RT0551).

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