Metal extraction from bismuth sulfide concentrates by cyclone slurry electrolysis

Abstract

Traditional pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods to extract bismuth from sulfide ores face problems such as high cost, low-concentration SO₂ generation, and long process time. In this study, the cyclone technology and slurry electrolysis method were combined. The bismuth sulfide ore was dissolved directly at the anode, while the high purity bismuth was deposited efficiently at the cathode under the advantages of the two methods. The short process and high-efficiency extraction of bismuth sulfide ore were realized, and the pollution of low-concentration SO₂ was avoided. Then, the effects of several crucial experimental conditions (current density, reaction time, temperature, pH, liquid-solid ratio, and circulation flow rate) on the leaching efficiency and recovery efficiency of bismuth were investigated. The leaching and electrowinning mechanisms during the recovery process were also analyzed according to the research results of this paper to better understand the cyclone slurry electrolysis process. The experimental results showed that 95.19% bismuth was leached into the acid solution in the anode area under optimal conditions, and the recovery efficiency and purity of bismuth on the cathode reached 91.13% and 99.26%, respectively, which were better than those by the traditional hydrometallurgy recovery process.

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