SUITABILITY OF DIFFERENT AMMONIUM SALTS AS EXTRACTING AGENTS FOR ELEMENTAL RECOVERY FROM PGM TAILINGS

摘要

Mining operations associated with the primary production of Platinum Group Metals (PGM's) are generating large quantities of mineral waste and by-products in the form of tailings. Mine tailings have been identified as a major source of environmental waste, however they are relatively enriched in major elements such as Fe, Mg, Al, and Cr due to its generally unaltered silicate-oxide mineralogy. Therefore, they offer the potential to serve as secondary mineral sources which can be reprocessed and converted to value-added products, provided that a suitable economically-viable technological process can be developed.