Recovery of Heavy Metals from High Salinity Geothermal Brine

摘要

Large quantities of high salinity geothermal brine from the Salton Sea Geothermal Area, CA., contain significant amounts of Pb, Zn, Fe, and Mn. A simple method of treating large volumes of spent brine is required to economically recover the valuable nonferrous metals. Results from a 2-year laboratory investigation of sulfide precipitation are discussed, including the condition for achieving maximum precipitation of the valuable heavy metals while minimizing precipitation of Fe and Mn, which have little economic value. In the first year, the study was initiated and guided by computer thermodynamic modeling. The second year has been devoted to the operation and optimization of the sulfidation process at a continuous bench scale.