Selective separation of Zn and Cd from arsenic-contained acid polymetallic solution

Abstract

Arsenic-contained acid polymetallic solutions (AAPS) are produced from the H₂SO₄ leaching of dust generated during nonferrous metals pyrometallurgy such as copper, lead, and zinc. It is difficult to selectively remove As and efficiently recover valuable metals simultaneously. In this study, arsenic was removed from an acid polymetallic solution containing As, Cd, and Zn via scorodite formation using a hydrothermal method. First, a thermodynamic analysis of the Cd²⁺-Zn²⁺-Fe³⁺-AsO₄³⁻-SO₄²⁻-H₂O system showed that the pH range for selective As removal as FeAsO₄ was 1.8–3.9, and a higher pH will result in the precipitation of Cd in the form of Cd₅H₂(AsO₄)₄. Second, the experimental investigations, including neutralization and hydrothermal processes, showed that 88.96% As was selectively removed as scorodite with a flower cluster morphology in a hydrothermal process after adjusting the pH of AAPS to 1.0 via a neutralization process, while the total loss ratios of Cd and Zn were 2.44% and 1.13%, respectively. This study realized selective separation of Zn and Cd from AAPS by controlling the pH to avoid their loss into scorodite.

Keywords

polymetallic solution / arsenic removal / zinc and cadmium / hydrothermal / scorodite

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