Ekstraksi Logam Tanah Jarang (LTJ) dan Logam Berharga Hasil Fusi Alkali Tailing Zirkon

Abstract

Zircon tailings is a waste from zircons and mining process, it has a potency for further utilized by extracting the  precious metals, such as iron, titanium, nikel and rare earth metals (REMs). Research purposes are to determine the effect of leaching conditionson recovery of rare earth metals and precious metals from zircons and after alkaline fusion treatment. Alkaline fusion process was used as a method to separate phosphate in monazite minerals and to reduce liquid waste compared to hydrometallurgical processes. Alkaline fusion process was performed about 3 hours at 450^oC, with ratio of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to zircon tailings and about 1:1. Alkaline fusion product was leached by water then followed by hydrochloricacid leaching to separater are earth metals and other precious metals. Recovery of rare earth metals reach 70% at optimum conditions. While Fe, Ti and Ni reach 58%, 80% and 68% respectively.