An Optimization Study of Dissolution of Zn and Cu in ZnS Concentrate with HNO3 Solutions

M. Çopur

Abstract
The Taguchi method was used to determine optimum conditions for the dissolution of Zn, Cu and Fe in Zinc sulphide concentrate in HNO3 solutions. The ranges of experimental quantities were between 12–55 °C for reaction temperature, 0.1–0.38 for solid-to-liquid ratio, 4–7 mol dm–3 for acid concentration, 15–120 min for reaction time, and 300–900 min–1 for stirring speed. The optimum conditions for these quantities were found to be 55 °C, 0.1, 7 mol dm–3, 120 min and 700 min–1, respectively. Under these conditions, the dissolution mass fraction of Zn, Cu and Fe in Zinc sulphide concentrate in HNO3 solutions were w = 96.32 %, 62.55 % and 29.5 %, respectively.

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Keywords
Optimisation, nitric acid, zinc sulphide, Taguchi method