Reduction of zinc oxide from complex sulfide concentrates using chloride processing

An apparatus for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material, comprising:

• a leaching unit configured to leach a zinc-bearing material with hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride and oxygen, the leaching producing a leach solution;
• a first precipitating unit configured to precipitate iron from the leach solution, a material selected from the group of EAF dust, BOF dust, or ferrite being used for the precipitating of iron, the precipitating of iron producing an iron precipitation solution;
• a second precipitating unit configured to precipitate zinc oxide from the iron precipitation solution, lime being used for the precipitating of zinc oxide, the precipitating of zinc oxide producing a residual calcium chloride solution;
• a lead recovery unit configured to contact lead chloride with lime to precipitate lead hydroxychloride;
• and
• a hydrochloric acid recovery unit configured to contact the residual calcium chloride solution with sulfuric acid to regenerate hydrochloric acid and precipitate a calcium sulfate salt.

An apparatus for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material, comprising:

• a leaching unit configured to leach a zinc-bearing material with hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride and oxygen, the leaching producing a leach solution;
• a first precipitating unit configured to precipitate iron from the leach solution, a zinc oxide ore being used for the precipitating of iron, the precipitating of iron producing an iron precipitation solution;
• a second precipitating unit configured to precipitate zinc oxide from the iron precipitation solution, lime being used for the precipitating of zinc oxide, the precipitating of zinc oxide producing a residual calcium chloride solution;
• a lead recovery unit configured to contact lead chloride with lime to precipitate lead hydroxychloride;
• and
• a hydrochloric acid recovery unit configured to contact the residual calcium chloride solution with sulfuric acid to regenerate hydrochloric acid and precipitate a calcium sulfate salt.

A process for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material, comprising the steps of:

• leaching the zinc-bearing material with hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride and oxygen, the leaching producing a leach solution and a leach residue, the leach residue containing lead chloride;
• removing the leach residue;
• precipitating iron from the leach solution using lime, the precipitating of iron producing an iron precipitation solution;
• recovering copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust;
• precipitating zinc oxide from the leach solution using lime, the precipitating of zinc oxide producing a residual calcium chloride solution;
• recovering lead contained in the leach residue by solubilizing the lead chloride and precipitating lead hydroxychloride from the solubilized lead chloride using lime;
• and
• regenerating hydrochloric acid and precipitating gypsum from the residual calcium chloride solution.

A process for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material, comprising the steps of:

• leaching the zinc-bearing material with hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride and oxygen, the leaching producing a leach solution and a leach residue, the leach residue containing lead chloride;
• removing the leach residue;
• precipitating iron from the leach solution using a material selected from the group of EAF dust, BOF dust, or ferrite, the precipitating of iron producing an iron precipitation solution;
• recovering copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust;
• precipitating zinc oxide from the leach solution using lime, the precipitating of zinc oxide producing a residual calcium chloride solution;
• recovering lead contained in the leach residue by solubilizing the lead chloride and precipitating lead hydroxychloride from the solubilized lead chloride using lime;
• and
• regenerating hydrochloric acid and precipitating gypsum from the residual calcium chloride solution.

A process for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material, comprising the steps of:

• leaching the zinc-bearing material with hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride and oxygen, the leaching producing a leach solution and a leach residue, the leach residue containing lead chloride;
• removing the leach residue;
• precipitating iron from the leach solution using a zinc oxide ore, the precipitating of iron producing an iron precipitation solution;
• recovering copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust;
• precipitating zinc oxide from the leach solution using lime, the precipitating of zinc oxide producing a residual calcium chloride solution;
• recovering lead contained in the leach residue by solubilizing the lead chloride and precipitating lead hydroxychloride from the solubilized lead chloride using lime;
• and
• regenerating hydrochloric acid and precipitating gypsum from the residual calcium chloride solution.

A process for recovering copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from a zinc-bearing material, comprising the steps of:

• leaching the zinc-bearing material with hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride, and oxygen, the leaching producing a leach solution and a leach residue, the leach residue containing lead chloride;
• precipitating iron from the leach solution using lime;
• recovering copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt, and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust;
• recovering lead from the leach residue by solubilizing the lead chloride and precipitating the solubilized lead chloride with lime.