See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/325424543

1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulphate ionic liquid leaching of

bauxite residue: iron, titanium and scandium recovery

Poster · May 2018

CITATIONS READS

0 47

4 authors:

Chiara Bonomi Ioanna Giannopoulou

National Technical University of Athens National Technical University of Athens
9 PUBLICATIONS 37 CITATIONS 46 PUBLICATIONS 907 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Johannes Vind Dimitrios Panias

Geological Survey of Estonia National Technical University of Athens
15 PUBLICATIONS 47 CITATIONS 193 PUBLICATIONS 2,587 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Eurare View project

Bauxite mineralogy View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Johannes Vind on 19 June 2018.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

1-ETHYL-3-METHYLIMIDAZOLIUM HYDROGEN
SULPHATE IONIC LIQUID LEACHING OF BAUXITE
RESIDUE: IRON, TITANIUM AND SCANDIUM RECOVERY
Chiara BONOMI1, Ioanna GIANNOPOULOU1, Johannes VIND1,2, Dimitrios
PANIAS1
1
National Technical University of Athens, School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering,
Heroon Polytechniou 9, Zografos Campus – Athens, Greece
2
Mytilineos S.A. Metallurgy Business Unit, Aluminium of Greece plant, St Nikolas, Greece
bonomich@metal.ntua.gr, panias@metal.ntua.gr

An innovative approach for extracting highly valuable metals from bauxite residue
(BR), involving ionometallurgical leaching, is proposed. Ionic liquids (ILs) are room
temperature molten salts, constituted of ions, with generally an organic cation and
an inorganic/organic anion. These solvents have superior properties against organic
solvents such as negligible vapour pressure, low volatility, wide electrochemical
window, non-flammability and high thermal stability.1 In this study, a Brønsted acidic
IL was investigated in direct leaching BR using the hydrophilic 1-ethyl-3-methyl-
imidazolium hydrogen sulphate ([Emim][HSO4]).

BR was provided by Aluminium of Greece (MYTILINEOS S.A.) and characterised

(chemical analysis given in Table 1).

Table 1: BR chemical analysis

Fe2O3 Al2O3 SiO2 TiO2 CaO Na2O REO LOI

% wt. 42.34 16.25 6.97 4.27 11.64 3.83 0.19 12.66

REEs Ce La Sc Nd Y
mg/kg 402 195 140 127 111

Mineralogical phases of BR, identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), contain

hematite (Fe2O3), goethite (Fe2O3∙H2O), boehmite (AlOOH), diaspore (AlOOH),
gibbsite (Al(OH)3), calcite (CaCO3), anatase (TiO2), rutile (TiO2), perovskite (CaTiO3),
cancrinite [Na6Ca2(AlSiO4)6(CO3)2] and calcium aluminium iron silicate hydroxide
[Ca3AlFe(SiO4)(OH)8].

[Emim][HSO4] was supplied by Iolitec (> 98 % purity) and characterised2. The direct
leaching of BR experiments using [Emim][HSO4] was carried out at 200 rpm, 200 °C,

2nd Conference of Bauxite Residue Valorisation and Best Practices | Athens | 7-10/05/2018 271
12 hours retention time and 5 % w/v pulp density. Results shows (Figure 1) high
recovery yields of Sc (78 %), Ti recovery is 92 % whilst Fe is almost totally dissolved.
Additionally, Al and Na is co-extracted to lesser extent (about 40 %); Si extraction is
limited to the level of 9 %.

100
90
80
70
Recovery, %

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Fe Al Si Ti Na Sc

Figure 1: Metal recovery yields after [Emim][HSO4] leaching of BR at 200 rpm, 200 °C,
12 hours and 5 % w/v pulp density.

The solid residue after leaching was characterised via XRD and SEM analyses. As it is
shown in Figure 2, anhydrite (CaSO4) is the main mineralogical phase of the leached
residue, as Ca precipitates during leaching. Diaspore, boehmite and cancrinite remain
unchanged after metal dissolution and minor phases like, perovskite, calcite and
hematite are also present, even though with substantially lower presence than in
bauxite residue.
Ad

H: Hematite Fe2O3
B: Boehmite AlOOH
D: Diaspore AlOOH
Cn: Cancrinite Na6Ca2(AlSiO4)6(CO3)2 (H2O)2
Ca: Calcite CaCO3
P: Perovskite CaTiO3
Ad: Anhydrite CaSO4

Ad

D
D

Cn D D Ad
Cn H D
Cn Ad
B D Ca Ad
Cn H H Ad H H
H H H
P P

10 15 20 25 30 35 2θ, degrees 40 45 50 55 60 65

Figure 2: XRD analysis of the solid residue after leaching.

2nd Conference of Bauxite Residue Valorisation and Best Practices | Athens | 7-10/05/2018 272
 Other REEs were not dissolved with [Emim][HSO4] and remained in the solid residue
as it is confirmed by SEM analysis (Figure 3).

Figure 1: Solid residue’s backscattered electron image: cerium phosphate particle

surrounded by the matrix of the sample.

From the results obtained, it can be concluded that the Brønsted acidic ionic liquid
[Emim][HSO4] is able to achieve high recovery yields of Sc (78 %) and Ti (92%)
together with some co-extraction of the major constituents of BR (Fe, Al, Na). The
rest of REEs are not dissolved and remain in the solid while Ca precipitates as CaSO 4.
This work is part of a broader research aiming to explore all the aspects of the metals
dissolution.

Acknowledgements
The research leading to these results has received funding from the European
Community’s Horizon 2020 Programme ([H2020/2014–2019]) under Grant
Agreement no. 636876 (MSCA-ETN REDMUD). This publication reflects only the
authors’ view, exempting the Community from any liability. Project website:
http://www.etn.redmud.org.

References
1. A.P. Abbott, G. Frisch, J. Hartley, K.S. Ryder, “Processing of metals and metal oxides using
ionic liquids”, Green Chemistry 13, 471-481 (2011).
2. C. Bonomi, P. Davris, E. Balomenos, I. Giannopoulou, D. Panias, “Ionometallurgical leaching
process of bauxite residue: a comparison between hydrophilic and hydrophobic ionic liquids”,
in Proceedings of 35th International ICSOBA Conference, Hamburg, Germany, 557-564 (2017).

2nd Conference of Bauxite Residue Valorisation and Best Practices | Athens | 7-10/05/2018 273

View publication stats