EXTRACTION OF CHROME FROM FERROCHROME PRODUCTION SLAG USING THE SULFURIC ACID METHOD

Abstract

Introduction. Currently, the development of industrial waste recycling processes that reduce the anthropogenic load on the biosphere and ensure the rational use of natural resources is an urgent task. Technogenic waste from ferrochrome production contains chromium, which is one of the most toxic components of industrial waste. To extract chromium from them, the most acceptable method is acid leaching. The purpose of the work is to study the influence of temperature, process duration and H₂SO₄ concentration on the extraction of chromium from high-carbon ferrochrome slag into a sulfuric acid solution. Using mathematical planning of a 3-factor experiment, experiments were carried out to extract chromium from the slags of high-carbon ferrochrome production. The H₂SO₄ concentration was varied from 5 to 95% by diluting the concentrated acid. The duration of the process ranged from 10 to 180 minutes at S:L = 1:30, the temperature varied from 22 to 90 °C. Results and discussion. The maximum transition of chromium into acid occurs at a temperature of 76-90 °C and a process duration of 145-180 minutes. The degree of extraction reaches 97.9%. The smallest amount of chromium, about 20 mg/L, passes into the weakly concentrated H₂SO₄ solution, the degree of leaching is low and equal to 20.6%. When using 50% H₂SO₄, the highest degree of transition of Cr (94.8%) from ferrochrome slag to sulfuric acid occurs at a high temperature of 90 °C in 150-180 minutes. Deeper extraction of chromium cations into acid occurs at 80-90 °C. The maximum content of Cr³⁺ in the acid is achieved in 46-107 minutes and amounts to (0.33-0.68)%. Conclusions. It was revealed that with increasing process duration and increasing temperature, the degree of extraction increases. The maximum transition of chromium into acid from high-carbon ferrochrome slag occurs at a temperature of 76-90 °C and a process duration of 145-180 minutes. The degree of extraction reaches 97.9%. An increase in the temperature of the process of leaching chromium from VUVC with concentrated sulfuric acid initiates the extraction of chromium from the raw material.