Separation, Purification and Extraction of Metals from Primary and Secondary Resources

A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701). This special issue belongs to the section "Extractive Metallurgy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 1406

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faulty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Interests: extraction and recycling of metals from primary and secondary resources; purification of metals and compounds; vacuum metallurgy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Through the separation, purification and extraction of metals from primary and secondary resources, metals are repeatedly reused to ensure the sustainability and valorization of limited metal resources.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide the most up-to-date research in separation, purification and extraction of metals from primary and secondary resources. The interests are particularly related to the enrichment and extraction of metals from concentrates, slag and secondary resources, the separation of metals from ores, slag and waste, the purification of metals, metal recovery and recycling, related physicochemical principles and thermodynamic fundamentals.

Prof. Dr. Fei Wang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • separation of metals
  • purification of metals
  • critical metals
  • metal recycling
  • thermodynamic assessment
  • vacuum metallurgy

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2818 KiB  
Article
Phase Evolution of Molybdenum Concentrate During the Vacuum Distillation Process
by Haoguang Mi, Qian Ren and Fei Wang
Metals 2025, 15(2), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15020133 - 28 Jan 2025
Viewed by 290
Abstract
This paper presents a method for purifying molybdenum concentrate through vacuum distillation and examines the phase evolution of MoS₂ during the process. First, the forms in which impurities exist in molybdenum concentrate and the feasibility of their volatilization are analyzed, while the structural [...] Read more.
This paper presents a method for purifying molybdenum concentrate through vacuum distillation and examines the phase evolution of MoS₂ during the process. First, the forms in which impurities exist in molybdenum concentrate and the feasibility of their volatilization are analyzed, while the structural changes of MoS₂ in a vacuum environment are discussed and verified through theoretical calculations. Next, experiments are conducted to study the effects of holding temperature, holding time, and other influencing factors on the transformation process of the molybdenum concentrate. The feasibility of impurity volatilization and the structural evolution of MoS₂ are further evaluated through experimental analysis of the condensates and residues in the temperature interval of 1273 K–1623 K. The results demonstrate that impurities can be effectively removed without compromising the natural structure of MoS₂. Full article
20 pages, 2661 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Preg-Robbing Effect in Gold Recovery Using the Carbon-in-Leach Technique: A Comparative Study of Three Reactor Types
by Carlos Ocampo-López, Leidy Rendón-Castrillón, Margarita Ramírez-Carmona and Federico González-López
Metals 2024, 14(12), 1465; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14121465 - 22 Dec 2024
Viewed by 873
Abstract
This study evaluates the preg-robbing effect on gold recovery through a carbon-in-leach process, comparing three reactor types: glass, stainless steel, and stainless steel coated with ceramic resin. Protonated activated carbon (PAcC) and anthracite carbon (PAnC) were used as adsorbents. The results show that [...] Read more.
This study evaluates the preg-robbing effect on gold recovery through a carbon-in-leach process, comparing three reactor types: glass, stainless steel, and stainless steel coated with ceramic resin. Protonated activated carbon (PAcC) and anthracite carbon (PAnC) were used as adsorbents. The results show that PAcC achieved a significantly higher gold adsorption rate of up to 99.87%, compared to PAnC, which achieved a maximum of 66%, mitigating the preg-robbing effect. The stainless steel reactor performed best, with gold recovery rates exceeding 90%, as confirmed by a multi-criteria decision matrix evaluating factors like durability, mechanical strength, and corrosion resistance. A 24−1 fractional factorial design identified key variables for optimal recovery, with aeration of 9.31 L/min, a PAcC pulp density of 2.5 g/L, and the use of Puerto Berrío ore resulting in the highest gold recovery, reaching 18.38 ppm. The mass balance confirmed that gold adsorption on PAcC was the most efficient, leaving less than 0.13% gold in the leachate. These results demonstrate the superiority of PAcC and stainless steel reactors in mitigating the preg-robbing effect, offering an effective solution for scaling up gold recovery processes. Full article
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