Low-Temperature Electrowinning of Iron from Mixed Hematite-Magnetite Alkaline Suspensions

Abstract

Iron ore represents a potential feedstock for the alkaline electrowinning of iron from suspensions. However, several difficulties can be imposed during the electrowinning due to the presence of several iron oxide types with different iron valences (e.g. hematite with magnetite), requiring further studies for establishing electrowinning as an alternative technology for iron production. In fact, an adverse effect on the Faradaic efficiency was previously reported when using magnetite as feedstock. The present study demonstrates, for the first time, the possibility of obtaining relatively high Faradaic efficiencies (66%) with hematite-magnetite mixtures at low temperature (80 °C).