Optimización de la lixiviación de carbonatos de tierras raras en medio HCl para la empresa Aclara.
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Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universidad de Concepción
Abstract
En el presente trabajo se evaluó el proceso de lixiviación en medio ácido clorhídrico del concentrado de carbonatos de tierras raras producido por el módulo Penco de la empresa Aclara, lo que se enmarca en el propósito de evaluar un tratamiento al concentrado generado con el fin entregar valor agregado.
Los objetivos específicos del presente trabajo son evaluar la eficacia del proceso de lixiviación de los elementos de tierras raras bajo diferentes condiciones, determinar el consumo de ácido clorhídrico en el proceso y optimizar la eficacia de extracción de los elementos de interés y la acidez del PLS generado en el proceso.
Este trabajo se dividió en 5 etapas, la primera buscó determinar el consumo del reactivo que en este caso fue el ácido clorhídrico (HCl), luego de obtener este parámetro se evaluó en diferentes pruebas experimentales el desempeño del proceso variando tanto la concentración de HCl como la razón líquido-sólido. Seguido de esto se procedió a medir la acidez de las pruebas anteriores y diseñar nuevas condiciones con el fin de obtener un pH óptimo para las etapas posteriores propuestas.
Posteriormente se realizaron pruebas a parámetros fijos con el fin de evaluar la cinética de la reacción estudiada. Para finalmente analizar los datos obtenidos de las pruebas y análisis químicos realizados a las muestras obtenidas.
Dentro de los resultados obtenidos los más relevantes son:
Una alta disolubilidad del concentrado estudiado en el medio ácido clorhídrico, sobre un 95% de la masa de concentrado fue disuelta en la mayoría de las pruebas realizadas.
El punto óptimo de la acidez deseada en el PLS generado( pH = 0,8 ) en las razones líquido- sólido igual a 5 y 10, coincide con concentraciones de ácido clorhídrico en donde se disuelve también el máximo de masa de concentrado.
La cinética de la reacción estudiada es bastante rápida ya que en pruebas experimentales se determinó que a los 10 minutos ya se alcanza la máxima lixiviación de masa de concentrado.
En análisis químicos a los PLS, los elementos de tierras raras con mayores concentraciones fueron el Y, Nd y La, y las principales impurezas fueron el Al, Ca, Fe y el Mn, elementos de metales pesados y radioactivos solo se detectaron en pequeñas concentraciones.
In the present work, the leaching process in hydrochloric acid medium of the rare earth carbonate concentrate produced by the modulo Penco the Aclara company was evaluated, this is framed in the intention of evaluating a treatment to the concentrate generated to deliver added value. The specific objectives of this work are to evaluate the efficiency of the leaching process of rare earth elements under different conditions, to determine the consumption of hydrochloric acid in the process, to optimize the extraction efficiency of the elements of interest and the acidity of the PLS generated in the process. This work was divided into 5 stages, the first one sought to determine the consumption of the reagent, which in this case was hydrochloric acid (HCl). After obtaining this parameter, the performance of the process was evaluated in different experimental tests, varying both the HCl concentration and the liquid-solid ratio. After this, the acidity of the previous tests was measured and new conditions were designed in order to obtain an optimum pH for the subsequent stages proposed. Subsequently, tests were carried out at fixed parameters to evaluate the kinetics of the reaction studied. Finally, the data obtained from the tests and chemical analysis of the samples obtained were analyzed. Among the results obtained, the most relevant are the following: A high dissolvability of the concentrate studied in the hydrochloric acid medium, over 95% ofthe concentrate mass was dissolved in most of the tests performed. The optimum point of the desired acidity in the PLS generated (pH = 0.8) at liquid-solid ratiosequal to 5 and 10, coincides with concentrations of hydrochloric acid where the maximum mass of concentrate is also dissolved. The kinetics of the reaction studied is quite fast since in experimental tests it was determined that after 10 minutes the maximum leaching of concentrate mass is already reached. In chemical analysis of the PLS, the rare earth elements with the highest concentrations were Y, Nd and La, and the main impurities were Al, Ca, Fe and Mn; heavy metal and radioactive elements were only detected in small concentrations.
In the present work, the leaching process in hydrochloric acid medium of the rare earth carbonate concentrate produced by the modulo Penco the Aclara company was evaluated, this is framed in the intention of evaluating a treatment to the concentrate generated to deliver added value. The specific objectives of this work are to evaluate the efficiency of the leaching process of rare earth elements under different conditions, to determine the consumption of hydrochloric acid in the process, to optimize the extraction efficiency of the elements of interest and the acidity of the PLS generated in the process. This work was divided into 5 stages, the first one sought to determine the consumption of the reagent, which in this case was hydrochloric acid (HCl). After obtaining this parameter, the performance of the process was evaluated in different experimental tests, varying both the HCl concentration and the liquid-solid ratio. After this, the acidity of the previous tests was measured and new conditions were designed in order to obtain an optimum pH for the subsequent stages proposed. Subsequently, tests were carried out at fixed parameters to evaluate the kinetics of the reaction studied. Finally, the data obtained from the tests and chemical analysis of the samples obtained were analyzed. Among the results obtained, the most relevant are the following: A high dissolvability of the concentrate studied in the hydrochloric acid medium, over 95% ofthe concentrate mass was dissolved in most of the tests performed. The optimum point of the desired acidity in the PLS generated (pH = 0.8) at liquid-solid ratiosequal to 5 and 10, coincides with concentrations of hydrochloric acid where the maximum mass of concentrate is also dissolved. The kinetics of the reaction studied is quite fast since in experimental tests it was determined that after 10 minutes the maximum leaching of concentrate mass is already reached. In chemical analysis of the PLS, the rare earth elements with the highest concentrations were Y, Nd and La, and the main impurities were Al, Ca, Fe and Mn; heavy metal and radioactive elements were only detected in small concentrations.
Description
Tesis presentada para optar al Título de Ingeniero Civil Metalúrgico
Keywords
Lixiviación, Tierras raras, Ácido clorhídrico