Dissolution kinetics of tetrahedrite mineral in alkaline sulphide media

The present study investigates the dissolution kinetics of tetrahedrite in aqueous alkaline sodium sulphide solutions. Effect of reaction temperature, mineral particle size, sodium sulphide and sodium hydroxide concentrations on antimony and arsenic dissolution rate from tetrahedrite were studied. It was found that the rate of reaction increases with increase in reaction temperature, sodium sulphide concentration, and sodium hydroxide concentration and with decrease in mineral particle size. The kinetic study indicates that the rate of tetrahedrite leaching in the lixiviant under selected conditions is chemically controlled through the particle surface reaction. The estimated activation energies were found to be 81 kJ/mol and 75 kJ/mol, respectively, for antimony and arsenic dissolution from tetrahedrite, which are in agreement with the values of activation energies reported for the chemically controlled reaction process. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.