Field Experimental Study of Sulfuric Acid Extraction from Acid Mine Drainage

This study presents a novel approach for extracting sulfuric acid from AMD. The proposed method comprises three stages: AMD pre-treatment, sulfate extraction, and electrolysis of sodium sulfate solution to produce sulfuric acid. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of sulfuric acid extraction from AMD. Results indicate that nano-zirconia hydroxide particles exhibit promising selectivity in adsorbing sulfate from AMD under low pH conditions. The sulfate adsorption rate reached 80%, with an energy consumption of 0.25 kW·h/kg for sulfuric acid generation. Techno-economic analysis reveals a levelized cost of sulfuric acid (LCS) of $0.83/kg, indicating the economic viability of the proposed method. This innovative approach addresses environmental concerns associated with AMD and presents a sustainable pathway for sulfate resource recovery and commercialized valorization.