INVESTIGATION OF THE LEACHING PROCESS OF RARE-EARTH METALS FROM THE BLACK SHALE ORES OF GREATER KARATAU

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was studying the process of an acid leaching of vanadium and other valuable components from black shales of Big Karatau of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The maintenance of principal components in ore of 0,8% V2O5, 67,7% of SiO2, 3,1% of Al2O3, 0,3% of Mo, 0,2% of U3O8 and 0,05% of rare-earth metals. To provide this process was used low-temperature sintering and leaching of this type of raw material for the subsequent extraction of vanadium, uranium, molybdenum and rare earth metal concentrates. Moreover, it was established that with increasing concentration of sulfuric acid to 40 g/l, the degree of leaching of uranium, vanadium, molybdenum and rare earth metals (REM) increases noticeably. The degree of extraction of vanadium includes 81.7 %; uranium – 93,3%; molybdenum – 82.2 % and REM – 78.3%. Besides, it was determined the optimal leaching time, which takes 2 hours long, and the chemical composition of the cakes after leaching.