Phase Evolution During the Oxidation
Process of Low Grade Lead–Zinc Oxide
Ore
Hai-Peng Gou, Kuo-Chih Chou, Zhong-Ye Pei, Song-xuan Chen,
Xue-gang Chen and Ming-chuan Li
Abstract The phase evolution during the oxidation process of low grade lead–zinc
oxide ore was investigated at 1173–1473 K under air atmosphere. A thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis was carried out to investigate the oxidation
mechanism. The products obtained at different temperatures were analyzed by X-ray
diffraction. It was found that the sulfides in the ore were oxidized and the carbonates
in the ore decomposed when the temperature was higher than 1173 K. During the
oxidation process from 1173 to 1273 K, the main phases in the products were CaSO 4 ,
Fe 3 O 4 , MgFe 2 O 4 , ZnFe 2 O 4 , Zn 2 SiO 4 , ZnO, and PbFe 4 O 7 . Along with the increase
of the reaction temperature, a new phase of Ca 2 Fe 2 O 5 appeared in the products after
the decomposition reaction of Zn 2 SiO 4 and CaSO 4 . Based on the formation of the
low melting point phase, the sintering phenomenon of the ore occurred obviously
at 1473 K. With the increase of the reaction temperature, the content of Pb in the
products decreased gradually.
Keywords Low grade lead–zinc oxide ore · Phase evolution · Oxidation
mechanism
Introduction
Lead and zinc mineral resources are abundant in the southwest of China. As the
primary sources of lead and zinc, the resources of the natural sulfide ores are relatively
few in China. With the consumption of the natural sulfide ores, the low grade lead–
zinc oxide ore has been receiving more and more attentions, which can be used as
an alternative [1]. In the past years, many researches have been studied for treating
the oxide ore, such as flotation, hydrometallurgy, and pyrometallurgy [2–5].
H.-P. Gou (B) · Z.-Y. Pei · S. Chen · X. Chen · M. Li
China ENFI Engineering Corporation, Beijing 100038, China
e-mail: gouhp@enfi.com.cn
K.-C. Chou
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallurgy, University of Science and Technology Beijing,
Beijing 100083, China
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_5
51
Process of Low Grade Lead–Zinc Oxide
Ore
Hai-Peng Gou, Kuo-Chih Chou, Zhong-Ye Pei, Song-xuan Chen,
Xue-gang Chen and Ming-chuan Li
Abstract The phase evolution during the oxidation process of low grade lead–zinc
oxide ore was investigated at 1173–1473 K under air atmosphere. A thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis was carried out to investigate the oxidation
mechanism. The products obtained at different temperatures were analyzed by X-ray
diffraction. It was found that the sulfides in the ore were oxidized and the carbonates
in the ore decomposed when the temperature was higher than 1173 K. During the
oxidation process from 1173 to 1273 K, the main phases in the products were CaSO 4 ,
Fe 3 O 4 , MgFe 2 O 4 , ZnFe 2 O 4 , Zn 2 SiO 4 , ZnO, and PbFe 4 O 7 . Along with the increase
of the reaction temperature, a new phase of Ca 2 Fe 2 O 5 appeared in the products after
the decomposition reaction of Zn 2 SiO 4 and CaSO 4 . Based on the formation of the
low melting point phase, the sintering phenomenon of the ore occurred obviously
at 1473 K. With the increase of the reaction temperature, the content of Pb in the
products decreased gradually.
Keywords Low grade lead–zinc oxide ore · Phase evolution · Oxidation
mechanism
Introduction
Lead and zinc mineral resources are abundant in the southwest of China. As the
primary sources of lead and zinc, the resources of the natural sulfide ores are relatively
few in China. With the consumption of the natural sulfide ores, the low grade lead–
zinc oxide ore has been receiving more and more attentions, which can be used as
an alternative [1]. In the past years, many researches have been studied for treating
the oxide ore, such as flotation, hydrometallurgy, and pyrometallurgy [2–5].
H.-P. Gou (B) · Z.-Y. Pei · S. Chen · X. Chen · M. Li
China ENFI Engineering Corporation, Beijing 100038, China
e-mail: gouhp@enfi.com.cn
K.-C. Chou
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallurgy, University of Science and Technology Beijing,
Beijing 100083, China
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_5
51