Removal of Arsenic from Pregnant Leaching Solution Using Electrochemical Coagulation Method

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

1 Department of Environment, Institute of Science and High Technology and Environmental Sciences, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman, Iran.

2 Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Industries, Industry, Mining and Trade Organization of Kerman Province, Kerman, Iran.

Abstract

In the present study, the electrochemical coagulation process (electrocoagulation) in the mining industry to remove arsenic ions from the charged leaching solution of PLS (copper processing plant) has been investigated. Samples were obtained by simulating the leaching process by adding trivalent arsenic salt (NaAsO2). The effects of three independent parameters such as pH (X1), electrolysis time (X2), current density (X3) were investigated using the response surface methodology (RSM) to investigate the removal of arsenic from PLS solution. This design includes 17 sets of experiments using electrocoagulation system. In this study, the Box-Benken test design in the response surface method with three numerical factors at three levels was investigated to investigate the interactive effect of process variables to evaluate the efficiency of arsenic removal from leaching solution using electrocoagulation method. The optimal conditions for the electrocoagulation process were determined at pH 6.50, electrolysis time: 114 minutes and electric current density of 65.3 A/m2, with a removal efficiency of 96.88%. The results showed that the ability of electrocoagulation process as a reliable method to remove metal ions, especially arsenic ions from the effluents of the mining industry, especially in mineral processing plants is very desirable.

Keywords

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Journal Of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Volume 32, Issue 2 - Serial Number 24
ُSpring & Summer
June 2021
Pages 95-114

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