One-step electrochemical reduction of stibnite concentrate in molten borax

Levent Kartal; Mehmet Barış Daryal; Güldem Kartal Şireli; Servet Timur

doi:10.1007/s12613-019-1867-9

Volume 26 Issue 10

Oct. 2019

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International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials > 2019 > 26(10): 1258-1265. > DOI: 10.1007/s12613-019-1867-9

Levent Kartal, Mehmet Barış Daryal, Güldem Kartal Şireli, and Servet Timur, One-step electrochemical reduction of stibnite concentrate in molten borax, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 26(2019), No. 10, pp.1258-1265. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12613-019-1867-9

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Research Article

One-step electrochemical reduction of stibnite concentrate in molten borax

Author Affilications

Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Hitit University, Corum 19030, Turkey
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul 34469, Turkey

Funds:

letmeleri A.S for supplying stibnite concentrate.

kö

y İ

The authors would like to thank Eti Bakı

r Halı

Received: 16 April 2019; Revised: 09 June 2019; Accepted: 11 June 2019;

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Abstract

Abstract

In this study, antimony production from a stibnite concentrate (Sb₂S₃) was performed in one step using a molten salt electrolysis method and borax as an electrolyte. Electrochemical reduction of the stibnite concentrate was performed at 800℃ under galvanostatic conditions and explained in detail by the reactions and intermediate compounds formed in the borax. The effects of current density (100-800 mA·cm^-2) and electrolysis time (10-40 min) on cathodic current efficiency and antimony yields were systematically investigated. During the highest current efficiency, which was obtained at 600 mA·cm^-2, direct metal production was possible with 62% cathodic current efficiency and approximately 6 kWh/kg energy consumption. At the end of the 40-min electrolysis duration at 600 mA·cm^-2 current density, antimony reduction reached 30.7 g and 99% of the antimony fed to the cell was obtained as metal.
- molten salt electrolysis,
- electrochemical reduction,
- antimony,
- antimony extraction,
- stibnite,
- borax

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References (34)

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