PROCESS FOR HYDROMETALLURGIC AND ELECTROCHEMICAL TREATMENT OF SULFUR ANTIMONY ORES WITH PRODUCTION OF ELECTROLYTIC ANTIMONY AND ELEMENTAL SULFUR

摘要

A hydrometallurgic and electrochemical processfor processing sulfur antimony ores and residues isdisclosed, the end products from which areelectrolytic antimony and elemental sulfur.The concentrate of sulfur antimony ore, leachedwith a solution of caustic alkali according to theknown techniques dissolves, as sulfur salts as muchSb as possible, whilst the other heavy and preciousmetals which accompany the antimony bearing oreremain unchanged in the residue.From the solution of antimony sulfur salts pureSb2S3 is precipitated by acidification and thissulfide, separated from the solution by filtration,is leached with a ferric fluoborate basedelectrolyte which oxidizes sulfide into elementalsulfur and dissolves antimony as Sb3+ fluoborate.The resulting mixture is filtered once more inorder to separate elemental sulfur and the solutionof Sb fluoborate is submitted to electrolysis in adiaphragm cell with electrolytic Sb being obtainedat the cathodes, and regenerated ferric fluoboratebeing recycled to the step of Sb2S3 leaching in theanodic compartment.