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By A. Alfantazi, L. Choudhary

Gold leaching in thiosulfate solution has attracted widespread research interest through the last two decades primarily due to its perceived environmental benefits in comparison to the conventional gold cyanidation technique. However, the data on the corrosion and/or corrosion-induced failures of plant infrastructure materials in the solutions relevant to thiosulfate gold leaching are very limited. Accordingly, this study aims to characterize the electrochemical corrosion behavior of stainless steel 316L in the thiosulfate gold leaching solutions. Electrochemical corrosion response was investigated using potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The morphology of corroded specimens was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy.

Jan 1, 2014

By A. Andrews

Paper written on project work carried out in partial fulfilment of MSc (Eng) degree Solid state sintered silicon carbide ceramics are used in aggressive environments as sealings. There exist data concerning corrosion, but there are only few data concerning their electrocorrosion behaviour. Therefore the electrochemical corrosion of solid state sintered silicon carbide (SSiC) ceramics has been studied at room temperature in acidic and alkaline environments by using potentiodynamic polarization measurements. The investigation showed a pronounced electrochemical corrosion in bases and acids. In HCl andHNO3pseudo-passivity features due to the formation of a thin layer of SiO2on the surface were observed, whereas in NaOH soluble silicate ions were observed, resulting in more pronounced corrosion. The microstructural observations of initial and corroded samples reveal that the residual carbon found in the microstructure do not dissolve preferentially. Keywords: Corrosion; SEM; SSiC; polarization test.

Jan 1, 2006

By Henrik Gudbrandsen, Geir Martin Haarberg, Ana Maria Martinez, Karen S. Osen, Sverre Rolseth

"The Several approaches were tried for developing an electrochemical route for producing high purity silicon from molten salts. K2SiF6 and metallurgical grade silicon were used as the source of silicon. Molten LiF-KF and pure KF with additions of K2SiF6 were used as electrolytes at temperatures from 550 - 900 oC. Silicon was cathodically deposited and anodically dissolved in the fluoride electrolytes. High electrorefining efficiency was obtained for many elements after electrolysis experiments at constant potential or constant current. The main challenge was to reduce the contents of boron and phosphorus. Another difficulty was to remove inclusions of solidified electrolyte. The lowest energy consumption was estimated to be ~ 3 kWh/kg Si, while the best current efficiency for Si deposition was found to be ~ 95 %.IntroductionSilicon is the most important material for photovoltaic power generation devices because of high feasible efficiency, low ecological impact and slow degradation. Development of a new and less expensive route for producing silicon of the desired quality is necessary in order to make solar cells competitive. Electrochemical routes may be an alternative possibility, and many laboratory studies have been reported over the past few decades. Most of the studies have been performed in molten salts, chloride or fluoride, at moderate temperatures so that solid silicon was deposited at the cathode. The production of high purity silicon has shown an annual increase of about 25 %, due to the increasing demand of solar grade silicon (SoG-Si). For future increased use of solar energy it is important to develop alternative, more energy efficient and cheaper processes for SoG-Si production compared to the Siemens process.Common silicon sources have been SiO2 and K2SiF6 for electrowinning and MG-Si in the case of electrorefining. A serious challenge is to find an oxygen evolving anode for electrolytes containing dissolved oxides. Especially at moderate to high temperatures and in molten fluoride electrolytes this is a difficult task.Many experimental results have been reported in molten chloride electrolytes. Nohira et al. [1-3] and Chen et al. [4] cathodically deposited silicon by electrodeoxidation of solid SiO2 in molten CaCl2 by potentiostatic electrolysis. An alternatice approach is to use electrorefining of low-cost metallurgical grade silicon (MGSi) to produce SOG-Si. In previous studies [5], an MG-Si anode was used, and silicon was successfully electrodeposited on a molybdenum wire in a CaCl2 based melt. It was found that the anode was strongly passivated due to the precipitation of silicon. Also, some deposits detached from the molybdenum wire because of the poor adherence to the cathode.Considering the Cu-Si alloy which has a good segregation effect for some impurities, and should not passivate, could be a good candidate anode for electrorefining. [6]."

Jan 1, 2014

By E. Fockedey

he destruction of free cyanide on a Co3O4 doped carbon felt was studied. The experiments were done with an eiectrochemical filter press cell on dilute alkaline solutions containing 250 mg/l NaCN. No chloride ions were added to the solutions. The cobalt oxide protects the felt against corrosion and has a catalytic effect on the degradation of the cyanide. This kind of electrode allows working with current density as high as 1200 Aim without any visible degradation of the felt. The most interesting results were obtained with a current density of 400 Aim' at which the cyanide concentration can be lowered to 5 mg/l with a current efficiency of more than 70 % and a specific energy consumption of about 10 kWh/ kg CN.

Jan 1, 1998

By G. Lissens

In this work the electrochemical combustion of dissolved organic species in a single compartment cell containing a titanium mesh cathode and a boron doped diamond anode has been studied, The organic molecules involved were complexing agents such as EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) or NTA (nitrilotriacetic acid) used in metal plating shops and bright nickel plating bath additives, From batch experiments, it is shown that complete decomplexing of EDTA and NIA is feasible. Complete TOC (Total Organic Carbon) removal from solutions containing 0.01 M EDTA, 0.02 M NTA and bright nickel plating bath additives could also be achieved. Recycling experiments show that decomplexing of EDTA and NTA solutions can be obtained at an average electrical energy input of ~20kWh.kg-1 of complexing agent. Decomplexing rates of respectively 3.l3 mmol.Ah-1 for EDTA and NTA have been obtained, The Instantaneous Current Efficiency (ICE) was 71% for EDTA and 95% by NTA, Simultaneous recovery of Cu from a 0.01 M Cu-EDTA solution has also been evaluated. A solution (1.8 dm3) containing 0.01 M EDTA and 528 ppm of Cu was treated in a single compartment cell at a current density of 2 A.dm-2. 73% of the TOC could be removed and a final copper concentration of 8 ppm was obtained.

Jan 1, 2003

By C. H. Pitt

A jet slurry apparatus has been constructed to test corrosive/erosive wear properties of grinding ball metal. Plain high carbon steel heat treated to a hardness of about 60 RC was used. Slurries of quartz and chalcopyrite ore concentrate were used as the jetting media. Weight loss due to pure corrosion was determined by the linear polarization technique and weight loss due to pure erosion was determined by jetting while cathodically protecting the sample. By comparing the total weight loss with the sum of the weight losses from pure corrosion and pure errosion it was found that there was a synergistic effect between corrosion and erosive wear. Erosive wear rates are given as a function of pH and mineral type.

Jan 1, 1984

By Y. M. Chang, C. H. Pitt

A jet slurry apparatus has been constructed to test corrosive/erosive wear properties of grinding ball metal. Plain high carbon steel heat treated to a hardness of about 60 Rc was used. Slurries of quartz and chalcopyrite ore concentrate were used as the jetting media. Weight loss due to pure corrosion was determined by the linear polarization technique. Weight loss due to pure erosion was determined by jetting while cathodically protecting the sample. By comparing the total weight loss with the sum of the weight losses from pure corrosion and pure erosion, it was found that there was a synergistic effect between corrosion and erosive wear. Corrosion rate, erosion rate, and total erosion/corrosion rate are given as a function of pH and mineral type.

Jan 1, 1986

By I. Gaballah

The electrochemical behavior of a chalcopyrite concentrate having a high pyrite content was studied in HC1 by potentiodynamic, potentiostatic and galvanostatic experiments using a cell having separate anodic and cathodic compartments. Anodic oxidation of chalcopyrite particles was realized both by their contact with the cunent feeder and by reaction with ferric and cupric ions. An increase of current leads to a more selective dissolution of chalcopyrite. Surface passivation was observed after an electrolysis time related to the cell current. Cathodic reduction of chalcopyrite concentrate seems to be more promising. Almost complete conversion of chalcopyrite to a copper sulfide (Cui.8.S) is observed, whereas no reaction of the pyrite was detected. This confirms the possible selective dissolution of copper from the chalcopyrite concentrate. Copper sulfide obtained by cathodic reduction was leached using a cupric chloride solution.

Jan 1, 1994

By J. Brent Hiskey

Carefully prepared gold-bearing arsenopyrite samples from different geographical locations were leached in alkaline cyanide solutions using an electro-dissolution technique. Special precautions were taken to utilize monosized and thoroughly characterized samples. The rates of iron, arsenic, gold and silver dissolution were measured as a function of temperature under controlled conditions in sodium cyanide media.

Jan 1, 1989

By John Snowberger III, J. Brent Hiskey

The electrochemical dissolution of super alloys containing different amounts of rhenium was investigated. The initial part of the investigation focused on the anodic dissolution of rhenium from second-generation (3% Re) and third-generation (6% Re) nickel based alloys. Exploratory electrochemical tests were conducted to evaluate solution chemistries and to establish fundamental dissolution behavior of the alloys. These included rotating disc electrode (RDE) cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and chronoamperometry tests. Electrolytes comprising sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and ammonium sulfate were examined. Of these, a 0.1 M HCl solution proved to be extremely effective for electrochemical dissolution of samples of CMSX-4, CMSX-10, and SC-180 alloys. This paper discusses in detail the electrochemical behavior of these alloys.

Jan 1, 2014

By X. W. Pan

It has been found that the MnO content of a slag decreases sharply when direct current is applied to a 1T1£tal-Slagsystem consisting of liquid Mn-Si-Ccsat metals and MnO-SiO2-CaO-AI203 slag in graphite crucibles. This paper reports a preliminary investigation into the electrochemical effects of direct current on the metal-slag system, the silicon content of the metals, and the MnO content of the slag. The results show that, when a direct current of 7 A is maintained, the MnO content of a metal containing 10 to 11 per cent silicon by weight is reduced rapidly from 26,5 to 17,2 per cent by weight. This reduction seems to proceed further when the process is continued. When the direct current and the voltage are kept constant at TA and 4 V respectively, the MnO content of a metal containing 1 to 2 per cent silicon by weight is reduced to 1 from 25 per cent by weight, which results in a manganese yield of 96 per cent.

Jan 1, 1995

By Laurence G. Dyer, David G. Dixon, John Rumball, Maziar Eghbalnia, Edouard Asselin

"Linear scan voltarnmetry was used to determine the reactions that occur during the cyanidation of petzite (Ag3AuTe2). Gold oxidation in petzite requires more oxidising conditions than are required for pure gold, it also does not achieve the same current (related to reaction rate). Tellurium oxidation occurs at a similar potential in water and cyanide, but as a component of petzite is impeded somewhat in water, likely due to the stability of the precious metals. Pre-treatment of petzite to oxidise tellurium in the absence of cyanide prior to gold recovery appears to be at least moderately successful.IntroductionWhile gold occurs most prevalently in its native form, many other gold bearing phases appear throughout natural systems [I]. Tellurides are a common group of such minerals, many of which also contain silver, often existing in association with native gold deposits. The six major gold-bearing tellurides are calaverite (AuTe2), sylvanite [(Au, Ag)2Te4], montbrayite [(AuSb)zTe3], krennerite [(Au1-x, Ag,)Te2], petzite (Ag3AuTe2) and muthmannite (AuAgTe2) [2]. While several other phases exist they are much more complex (i .e. buckhornite), which dilutes and confuses the influence of each specific component. Studies of gold tellurides have predominantly focussed on calaverite as it is the simplest and most common phase, however petzite, commonly found in Australia and North America, is the focus of this investigation.Gold processing via cyanidation has been operated for more than a century and is a highly effective hydrometallurgical treatment of native gold deposits. However, some gold alloys such as tellurides have proven to be somewhat less responsive under the same conditions. Several groups have shown that gold/silver tellurides are amenable to cyanidation, but are significantly more refractory than native gold [3]. Pre-oxidation steps have been tested to remove constituents that would consume cyanide such as sulfides. Such species are also linked to the precipitation of oxidised telluriwn, forming a passive layer, further inhibiting gold recovery [2]. It is uncertain to the definite reasons underpinning the refractory nature of precious metal tellurides in conventional cyanidation."

Jan 1, 2012

By L. Beiza, L. Velásquez-Yévenes

Chalcopyrite is by far the most abundant copper sulphide on Earth, but it has proved to be problematic in its processing by leaching, mainly related to its refractory nature, slow kinetic rates of dissolution and the formation of an inhibiting product layer on its surface during leaching. This study is focussed on the electrochemistry of chalcopyrite dissolution in acidic chloride system, which has recently gained attention as a feasible alternative to conventional sulphate media for chalcopyrite leaching. It is well understood that chalcopyrite dissolution from mineral grains depends strongly on the solution redox potential at the mineral surface as well as the composition of the product layer that may form on its surface. The chloride ions in solution support the Cu(II)/Cu(I) couple as the primary oxidant, as they can form complexes with the cuprous ions formed, increasing the dissolution rate. Additionally, these ions increase the potential range where chalcopyrite can be oxidized. The chemical reaction that occurs on the surface of chalcopyrite in chloride solutions in the presence of cupric ions will be characterized and the coulometry of the reaction will be reported to understand what is happening on the surface of chalcopyrite. Electrochemical experiments have been carried out to investigate the behaviour of mixed potential by open circuit potential (OCP) measurement for 30 minutes using sulphuric acid at pH 1 under nitrogen at 25⁰ C. The effect of chloride was analysed at 0, 20, 50 and 100 g/L and cupric ions from 0 to 50 g/L. The potentials obtained were then used to carry out chronoamperometry tests for a period of 30 minutes in absence of cupric ions. The mixed potential did not show a significant difference with an increase in cupric concentrations in the absence of chloride. Increased mixed potentials and current densities were observed at higher chloride and cupric concentrations. Chronoamperometry tests at those potentials were used to construct a voltammogram trace which has the same trend as a normal cyclic voltammogram but with much lower current densities. INTRODUCTION As a result of the depletion of copper oxides, the leaching of copper sulphide minerals has become the focus of many studies. Chalcopyrite, (CuFeS2) which is the most abundant of copper minerals, has proved to be challenging to process via hydrometallurgy, mainly related to its refractory nature, slow kinetic rates of dissolution and the formation of an inhibiting product layer on its surface, during leaching.

Jan 1, 2019

By Thomas J. Keefe, O&apos

The effects of cobalt, B-naphthol, glue and antimony on the polarization behavior of zinc sulfate electrolyte were investigated. It was found that B-naphthol was beneficial in reducing the detrimental effects of cobalt while antimony and excess glue were each harmful. Since the nu cl eat ion over potential was insensiti1ve to coba1t, other regions of the polarization curve were used to indicate electrolyte balance. The low? current density area occurring in the reverse or anodic sweep direction was? often an indicator when an ?unstable condition existed. The two parameters evaluated were the degree of inflection in the polarization curve in the low current density region during scanning and the rate of current rise observed when the sample was potentiostated at -0.781 Volts (SHE). Using this technique, a two-additive system was shown to be desirable to control cobalt and antimony containing electrolytes. The structure of the deposits was examined using scanning electron microscope techniques.

Jan 1, 1985

By J. B. Zachwieja, P. E. Richardson, G. W. Walker

The electrochemical nature of mineral-collector interactions and their relationship to flotation have been investigated to develop a better understanding of the factors controlling sulfide mineral beneficiation. Spectrophotometric and electrochemical techniques have been used to examine the reactions occurring on electrodes composed of a bed of bornite particles in the presence and absence of potassium ethylxanthate (KEtX) at a pH of 9.2. The combined techniques showed that KEtX sequentially reacts with bornite by (1) a chemisorption reaction forming ca hydrophobic species between --0.4 and -0.2 V (SCE), (2) an electrochemical oxidation reaction forming cuprous xanthate between -- 0.2 V and the xanthate/ dixanthogen redox potential, and (3) oxidation to dixanthogen when the potential exceeds the reversible value for the xanthate/dixanthogen couple. The flotation response of bornite closely parallels spectrophotometric and electrochemical evidence for adsorption of KEtX by the reactions listed above. The degree of surface oxidation resulting from the formation of iron oxides on the surface dictates the flotation response as evidenced by the fact that oxidized bornite floats at more anodic potentials than unoxidized bornite. The strong correlations between the flotation response, degree of oxidation, and potential indicate that chemisorbed xanthate produces a hydrophobic layer sufficient to float unoxidized bornite, but cuprous xanthate and dixanthogen arc required to float oxidized bornite.

Jan 1, 1988

By Luis Cáceres, Genny Leinenweber

"We have designed a planar perpendicular flow cell for electrochemical measurement of a mineral available as a fine powder. The working electrode consisting of mineral powder supported on a carbon paste surface as a 4 mm diameter disk, was concentrically positioned inside a vertical tubular reactor. The counter electrode was a 316L tube embedded in the body cell. The supportive media was a 1.2:1 mixture of candle wax and graphite powder respectively, which is a good electrical conductor. The concentrate electrode as a film attached on a carbon paste disk was prepared rubbing the surface carbon paste against dried powdered mineral. An Ag/AgCl 1 M KCl cell as a reference electrode was attached to the body cell by using a fast coupling fitting. A stable flow rate was achieved using a frequency inverter to drive the pump motor. The flow through the cell verified to be laminar due to the Reynolds number in the cell flow passage. Cyclic voltammetry from - 1200 a 600 mVSAgE were measured using a carbon paste with and without mineral attached to the surface. The main findings of this work were: a). Electrochemical measurement of mineral powder in contact with flowing samples was easily achieved using ground mineral. This is important where massive samples are not available. b). The voltammetric curve features of ground mineral coincided with reported data. c). The working electrode could be quickly replaced while maintaining very good reproducibility."

Jan 1, 2014

By R. Hagiwara, S. Kobayashi, K. Yasuda, T. Nohira, K. Kondo

To establish a process for the electrochemical recovery of rare earth elements from used magnet scraps, the electrochemical formation of RE-Ni alloys in molten NaCl-KCl-RECl3 salt at 973 K was investigated. Cyclic voltammetry and open-circuit potentiometry indicated the formation of several phases of RE-Ni alloys. The formation potential for each RE-Ni alloy phase was determined from the results of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction of alloy samples prepared by potentiostatic electrolysis of a Ni plate electrode at various potentials. The optimum electrolysis conditions for the separation of Nd, Dy, and Pr are discussed.

Jan 1, 2014

By D. K. Sarkar, Jiawei Xiong

"Self-assembled monolayers (SAM) on the aluminum substrates are used as the adhesion promoter between two aluminum substrates when bonded with the adhesive in adhesive bonding technology. Traditional surface analysis tools are not capable of identifying the presence of SAM on a surface; therefore, EIS has been used to determine their presence on the aluminum substrates. In this study SAMs have been deposited on aluminum using the monomer of (3-Glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GPTS) organosilane. AA6061 aluminum alloys substrates were chemically cleaned with NaOH and HNO3 to remove the native oxides, followed by immersion in silane solutions. In a second method, SAMs were prepared by applying a spin coating of silane solution to the samples. The prepared SAM coated aluminum samples were analysed by EIS in the three electrode corrosion cell using a diluted alkaline solution. The impedance of the SAM coated aluminum is found be higher than the as-received aluminum. It has been also observed that the open circuit potential (OCP) of the SAM coated aluminum is higher than the as-received aluminum. Both elevated values of the impedance and OCP confirm the presence of SAM on aluminum.INTRODUCTIONSelf-assembly (Schreiber, 2000) is defined as the spontaneous formation of complex hierarchical structures from pre-designed building blocks, typically involving multiple energy scales and multiple degrees of freedom. Generally speaking, SAMs are created by the chemisorption of ""head groups"" onto a substrate from either the vapor or liquid phase followed by a slow organization of ""tail groups"" of a molecule. Typically, head groups are connected to a molecular chain in which the terminal end can be functionalized with groups such as –OH, –NH2, –COOH, or –SH to vary the wetting and interfacial properties (Chauhan et al., 2007; Ulman, 1996; Vashist, Lam, Hrapovic, Male, & Luong, 2014). Though there exist several methods to prepare SAM (Chauhan et al., 2007; Chen, Yang, & Zhang, 2014; Cho, Park, Jon, & Choi, 2007; Igor Luzinov, 2000; Reis, de Melo, & Costa, 2006; Song, Zhai, Wang, & Jiang, 2006; Sugimura, Hozumi, Kameyama, & Takai, 2002; Vashist et al., 2014), the two methods vapor phase (Song et al., 2006; Sugimura et al., 2002) and solution(Chen et al., 2014; Igor Luzinov, 2000) are commonly used. Recently, many articles have been published on the fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces with SAM technology (Cho et al., 2007; Pan, Shen, Shang, & Xing, 2012; Siddaramanna, Saleema, & Sarkar, 2014; Song et al., 2006). Brassard, Sarkar, and Perron (2011) successfully obtained a superhydrophobic film by applying fluoroalkylsilane via self-assembly on monodispersive silica. SAMs are also reported as good candidates for anti-corrosion and adhesion promotion (Chen et al., 2014; Saleema, Sarkar, Paynter, Gallant, & Eskandarian, 2012). However, papers on the characterization of SAM properties are rarely seen. The most commonly used substrate for SAM is silicon and the method implemented is scanning probe microscopy (SPM) such as atomic force microscope (AFM) (Igor Luzinov, 2000; Moores, 2011; Zhang, 2003, 2005). Igor Luzinov (2000) analyzed the epoxysilane SAMs’ surface morphology and microstructure properties using scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and ellipsometry on single-crystal silicon wafers. SAMs have been used to improve the adhesion bonding of aluminum or plastics but no characteristic data have been presented yet (Saleema et al., 2012; Telegdi, 2007; Wang, Xu, Luo, Wang, & Wang, 2009). Recently, Reis et al.(Reis et al., 2006) have studied SAM of alkane diphosphonate (Gardobond X4661) on Al 5052 alloy samples by EIS in a naturally aerated sodium sulfate solution."

Jan 1, 2016

By R. Mehta, M. Misra, X. Su

"The conventional methods to assess Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) potential of the waste rocks and tailings are based on wet chemistry and leachability tests. These methods are time consuming and expensive. There is a growing interest to develop alternate techniques to establish the reactivity of acid mine tailings and stability of treated waste forms. The Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is a reliable non-invasive technique which can be used for quick estimation of reactivity of the potential acid generating tailings. In this paper the utilization of the EIS technique for the estimation of reactivity of tailings is discussed. EIS can also be used to predict the long term stability of different stabilized waste forms.IntroductionMetal contaminated mine drainage is one of the most persistent environmental problems facing the mining and mineral processing industries today. Of all the mine drainage pollutants, acid mine drainage has become a substantial concern because of the potential long-term environmental implications and the accompanying liabilities. The main source of acid mine drainage is the tailings containing sulfide-ores which are generated during the ore processing. When these sulfide minerals, particularly pyrite and pyrrhotite, are exposed to oxygen and water they begin to oxidize. The initial chemical reactions produce acid and the acid dissolves heavy metals present in the tailings. Rainfall and snow-melt flush the toxic solutions from the waste sites into the downstream environment [1-2]. In addition to mining tailings, several Department of Energy (DOE) sites contain wastes which are contaminated with radionuclides and heavy metals."

Jan 1, 1999

By Y. J. Ferdosi

This paper presents the outcomes of the preliminary investigation focused on the potential usage of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) in minerals processing. Currently, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy has been successfully employed in the characterization of multilayer structures formed as molecules adsorb on flat surfaces and is commonly used in bio-related research. Few studies have explored the application of EIS in minerals processing, particularly for mineral particles and flotation systems. In the first series of tests, the impedance response was investigated as a function of particle size, shape and hydrophobicity using model quartz particles. The particle size fractions and the shape were found to contribute to the impedance response. The more hydrophobic quartz particles resulted in a higher impedance values. Further tests involved pure sulfide minerals including chalcocite, bornite, chalcopyrite and pyrite. The AC impedance measurements were conducted as a function of collector (sodium ethyl xanthate) dosage. The AC Impedance data was modeled using the combination of reference circuits. It has been shown that adsorption of collector onto sulfide minerals surfaces results in a higher magnitude of impedance. Increasing the collector dosage resulted in an increase in AC impedance for chalcopyrite, while a decrease was observed for chalcocite. Significant variations in impedance were exhibited by bornite and pyrite with a gradual increase in collector dosage.

Sep 1, 2012