XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 3439
first order in ferrous ions or ferric ions because the data do
not lie on a straight line.
It is generally accepted that the oxidation of ferrous
ions is second order with respect to the ferrous ions. A sec-
ond order plot of the data is shown in Figure 6. This plot
indicates that the reaction scheme is second order in ferrous
ions, indicating that the reaction scheme is dominated by
the oxidation of ferrous ions. This suggested that the limita-
tion for the precipitation scheme might lie in the oxidation
of ferrous ions and that the route to improving this process
might be in improving the ferrous ion oxidation reaction.
As a result, this reaction was investigated further.
Batch Oxidation of Ferrous Ions
Since the controlling step in the reaction scheme appears
to be the oxidation of ferrous ions, this reaction was inves-
tigated on its own in further detail. The results of several
experiments are shown in Figure 7, and the conditions for
these experiments are given in Table 1.
These results indicate that the rate of oxidation of fer-
rous ions appears to slow down as the reaction proceeds,
with the unexpected possibility that an equilibrium state
is reached rather than complete conversion. As mentioned,
it is generally accepted that the kinetics of this reaction
are second-order in ferrous ions. The second order plot is
Figure 4. The concentration of iron leaving each tank in the reactor train relative to the
inlet concentration
Figure 5. The logarithm of the relative concentration of iron in solution leaving each
reactor in the precipitation train
first order in ferrous ions or ferric ions because the data do
not lie on a straight line.
It is generally accepted that the oxidation of ferrous
ions is second order with respect to the ferrous ions. A sec-
ond order plot of the data is shown in Figure 6. This plot
indicates that the reaction scheme is second order in ferrous
ions, indicating that the reaction scheme is dominated by
the oxidation of ferrous ions. This suggested that the limita-
tion for the precipitation scheme might lie in the oxidation
of ferrous ions and that the route to improving this process
might be in improving the ferrous ion oxidation reaction.
As a result, this reaction was investigated further.
Batch Oxidation of Ferrous Ions
Since the controlling step in the reaction scheme appears
to be the oxidation of ferrous ions, this reaction was inves-
tigated on its own in further detail. The results of several
experiments are shown in Figure 7, and the conditions for
these experiments are given in Table 1.
These results indicate that the rate of oxidation of fer-
rous ions appears to slow down as the reaction proceeds,
with the unexpected possibility that an equilibrium state
is reached rather than complete conversion. As mentioned,
it is generally accepted that the kinetics of this reaction
are second-order in ferrous ions. The second order plot is
Figure 4. The concentration of iron leaving each tank in the reactor train relative to the
inlet concentration
Figure 5. The logarithm of the relative concentration of iron in solution leaving each
reactor in the precipitation train