Extraction of rubidium from Malatya - Kuluncak area complex ore

In this study, studies were carried out to take rubidium (Rb), which is in a complex form of Na +K feldspar, pyroxene, and alumina silicate into solution in an environmentally sensitive manner with high recovery. Malatya - Kuluncak complex ore was used in this study. In the first stage of the study, the roasting method was tried to obtain rubidium chloride (RbCl) or rubidium sulphate (Rb2SO4) structures, which are the water-soluble forms of rubidium in the sodium-potassium feldspar minerals. Roasting was carried out using different additives and calcium chloride was identified as the most suitable additive material for this ore structure. In studies investigating the effect of roasting temperature and time, the evaporation amount of RbCl was calculated. After deciding on the additives, the additive amount, solid/liquid ratio in the leaching stage, and leach time were optimized. The optimum conditions were determined as a leaching time of 120 minutes at 1/3 solid/ liquid ratio after roasting for 60 minutes at the roasting temperature of 900 °C at 70% calcium chloride (CaCl2) addition. the solution efficiency of rubidium was calculated as 96%. Taking Rb into solution from primary sources was first achieved with this study in Türkiye.

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