Double precipitation reaction for the formation of high purity basic lead carbonate and high purity normal lead carbonate

A process for the preparation of high purity basic lead carbonate and high purity normal lead carbonate from a single lead acetate feed solution comprising:

• (a) first contacting at atmospheric pressure a lead acetate feed solution having an initial mole ratio of lead to acetate of from greater than 0.5:1 to about 1:1 and a lead concentration of from about 1 to about 10 weight percent with carbon dioxide gas in an amount effective to reduce the lead to acetate mole ratio to 0.5:1 by precipitating high purity basic lead carbonate;
• (b) mixing said feed solution and gas under agitation and at a temperature in the range of from about 50.degree. to about 70.degree. C., at a atmospheric pressure and for a time sufficient to precipitate high purity basic lead carbonate and reduce the lead to acetate mole ratio to 0.5:1;
• (c) filtering said high purity basic lead carbonate to separate the high purity basic lead carbonate from the remaining lead acetate solution to form a high purity basic lead carbonate filter cake;
• (d) then contacting said remaining lead acetate solution with carbon dioxide gas at a pressure in excess of about 50 p.s.i.g., at a temperature of from about 40.degree. to about 100.degree. C. and for a time sufficient to precipitate high purity normal lead carbonate;
• (e) maintaining said pressure in excess of about 50 p.s.i.g.;
• (f) filtering said high purity precipitated normal lead carbonate under said pressure to separate the high purity normal lead carbonate from the remaining acetic acid solution and to form a high purity normal lead carbonate filter cake.

In a process for producing lead monoxide from solid lead sulfate-bearing material by reacting solid lead sulfate-bearing material with an ammonium carbonate solution to convert said lead sulfate to lead carbonate, decomposing substantially all of the lead carbonate to impure lead monoxide, reacting the impure lead monoxide with an effective amount of acetic acid to convert said lead monoxide to a lead acetate solution, contacting the lead acetate solution with carbon dioxide gas to form normal lead carbonate, and decomposing the normal lead carbonate to produce lead monoxide, the improvement comprising:

• (a) first contacting the lead acetate solution having an initial lead to acetate mole ratio greater than 0.5:1 and a lead concentration of from about 1 to about 10 weight percent, with carbon dioxide gas in an amount effective to reduce the lead to acetate mole ratio to 0.5:1 by precipitating high purity basic lead carbonate;
• (b) separating the high purity basic lead carbonate from the remaining lead acetate solution;
• (c) then contacting the remaining lead acetate solution with carbon dioxide gas to precipitate high purity normal lead carbonate;
• and
• (d) separating the high purity normal lead carbonate from the remaining reactive acetate solution.

In a process for producing lead monoxide from solid lead sulfate-bearing material by reacting solid lead sulfate-bearing material with an ammonium carbonate solution to convert said lead sulfate to lead carbonate, decomposing substantially all of the lead carbonate to impure lead monoxide, reacting the impure lead monoxide with an effective amount of acetic acid to convert said lead monoxide to a lead acetate solution, contacting the lead acetate solution with carbon dioxide gas to form normal lead carbonate, and decomposing the normal lead carbonate to produce lead monoxide, the improvement comprising:

• (a) first contacting at atmospheric pressure the lead acetate solution having an initial mole ratio of lead to acetate of from greater than 0.5:1 to about 1:1 and a lead concentration of from about 1 to about 10 weight percent with carbon dioxide gas in an amount effective to reduce the lead to acetate mole ratio to 0.5:1 by precipitating high purity basic lead carbonate;
• (b) mixing said lead acetate solution and gas under agitation and at a temperature in the range of from about 50.degree. to about 70.degree. C., at atmospheric pressure and for a time sufficient to precipitate high purity basic lead carbonate and reduce the lead to acetate mole ratio to 0.5:1;
• (c) filtering said high purity basic lead carbonate to separate the high purity basic lead carbonate from the remaining lead acetate solution to form a high purity basic lead carbonate filter cake;
• (d) then contacting said remaining lead acetate solution with carbon dioxide gas at a pressure in excess of about 50 p.s.i.g., at a temperature of from about 40.degree. to about 100.degree. C. and for a time sufficient to precipitate high purity normal lead carbonate;
• (e) maintaining said pressure in excess of about 50 p.s.i.g.;
• (f) filtering said high purity precipitated normal lead carbonate under said pressure to separate the high purity normal lead carbonate from the remaining acetic acid solution and to form a high purity normal lead carbonate filter cake.