Hematite tailings to high-purity silica: Mechanistic studies and life cycle assessment analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to recover high-purity silica from hematite tailings (HTs) using superconducting high-gradient magnetic separation (S-HGMS) technology. This process involved converting silica into a silicone-rich concentrate and subsequently employing a fluorine-free mixed acid to leach the silicon-rich concentrate to remove impurities and achieve refinement and purification. The optimization of the S-HGMS process was conducted using the "Box-Behnken Design" method, resulting in the following optimal conditions: a pulp concentration of 50 g/L, a magnetic velocity ratio of 0.076 T s/m, and a pulp velocity of 500 mL/min. These conditions yielded a silica grade range of 61.905% in the HTs to 91.818% in the silicon-rich concentrate, with corresponding recovery rates of 53.031%. Under the optimized leaching process, this resulted in an increase in the silica content from 91.818% in the silicon-rich concentrate to 99.938% in high-purity silica. Additionally, by analyzing the production process of 1 kg of high-purity silica from HTs using the process LCA method, environmental hotspots were identified, and corresponding solutions were proposed. This approach is vital for efficient utilization of HTs as a resource. This process has low energy consumption and is environmentally friendly, enabling the reduction of hematite tailings. It has a wide range of applications and offers substantial economic benefits, rendering it a promising candidate for industrial applications.