JSC Industrial and Creative Enterprise “Rezonans”, Ekaterinburg, Russia:

F. G. Sitdikov, Chief Executive Officer
L. I. Galkova, Industrial Engineer

Institute of Metallurgy of Ural Branch of RAS, Ekaterinburg, Russia:
K. V. Pikulin, Investigator Apprentice, Post-Graduate Student, e-mail: pikulin.imet@gmail.com
E. N. Selivanov, Head of Laboratory

Our paper substantiates the process of molybdenite concentrate roasting with rhenium transfer in the gaseous phase with further sublimate catching on coke filter. We show the possibility of the 15-fold increasing of rhenium concentration in coke packing, with reference to the feedstock. Laboratory experiments were carried out on the unit, consisting of the horizontal roasting furnace and coke filter, where metallic networks with coke are installed. 5.1–8.3% of molybdenium and 82.4% of rhenium are transferred from the concentrate into the gaseous phase. Almost 100% of rhenium is caught from gaseous phase on filter. The basic amount of rhenium oxides is sedimented on the first layers of coke with the temperatures of 355–380 ^oC. We used the data for realization of oxidation roasting of molybdenium concentrate in experimental-industrial conditions. The coke, processed with gases from oxidation roasting of the concentrate contains, %: 1.4 Re; 2.5–2.8 Mo; 1.2–1.4 Fe; 0.5–0.8 Ca; 1.2–1.3 Al; 2.4–2.6 Si. Hydrometallurgical scheme, including rhenium leaching by nitric and sulfuric acid mixture was tested for rhenium release from coke. The best results on rhenium leaching are reached for the mixture of these acids in relation 1:1 and with the temperature of 90–95 oC in 5 hours. 98% of rhenium is extracted in solution. Molybdenium oxides have almost no reaction with acids and stay in coke, but 25–45 and 25–32% of iron and calcium are transferred in solution. After the coke separation, the solution is neutralized with lime for sedimentation of sulfates and hydroxides of iron, copper and calcium and is treated with potassium chloride for obtaining of marketable product (potassium perrhenate). Rhenium extraction from solution is 95.3%, and throughout recovery of molybdenite concentrate is 79%. The offered technology allows the processing of molybdenite concentrates with wide variation of compositions and effective change of the process modes depending on raw material structure, which is important for organization of low-scale productions.

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