Preparation of High-Grade Sodium Tungstate from a Wolframite Ore for Catalytic Applications by Hydrometallurgical Process
摘要
WolframiteWolframite oreOre, an industrial isomorphic mineral with varied Fe, Mn, and Pb ratios, is useful in catalytic applications due to its astonishing properties including high melting points, hardness, excellent corrosion resistance, and thermal conductivity over other compounds. Consequently, the oreOre sourced from Anka, Zamfara State (Nigeria), was employed in studying the catalytic/oxidant properties using hydrometallurgical routes. The effects of process parameters such as reaction temperature, concentration, and particle size were investigated to obtain optimal extractionExtraction conditions for industrial tungsten compounds. At optimal leachingLeaching (3 M NaOH, 75 ℃, 63 µm), 94.7% of the oreOre reacted within 120 min. The purification of the leachate by 0.25 M Aliquat-336 yielded 96.7% pure tungsten and was beneficiated to obtain high-grade sodium tungstate (Na2WO4.H2O: 96-901-3322, melting point: 706.1 ℃ industrial standard). The product as characterized is recommended for use as a catalytic oxidant for defined industrial processes such as corrosion inhibitors in steel and high-tech applications.