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Metals
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Separation, Purification and Extraction of Metals from Primary and Secondary...
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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 2887

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Fei Wang

E-Mail Website
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

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

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

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 18023 KiB  
Article
Recycling Potential of Copper-Bearing Waelz Slag via Oxidative Sulfuric Acid Leaching
by Pavel Grudinsky, Ekaterina Vasileva and Valery Dyubanov
Metals 2025, 15(3), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15030330 - 18 Mar 2025
Viewed by 251
Abstract
Copper-bearing Waelz slag (CBWS) is a solid by-product of the Waelz process, the disposal of which faces significant environmental challenges. In this study, oxidative sulfuric acid leaching was applied for the recovery of valuable elements from a CBWS sample containing 26.23% Fe, 0.82% [...] Read more.
Copper-bearing Waelz slag (CBWS) is a solid by-product of the Waelz process, the disposal of which faces significant environmental challenges. In this study, oxidative sulfuric acid leaching was applied for the recovery of valuable elements from a CBWS sample containing 26.23% Fe, 0.82% Cu, and 0.81% Zn. Experimental leaching was conducted at temperature ranges, durations, and solid-to-liquid (S/L) ratios of 25–90 °C, 5–240 min, and 0.05–0.5 g/cm3, respectively. The consumption rates of H2SO4 and H2O2 ranged within 9.18–15.29 mmol/g and 0–7.35 mmol/g, which, at a 1:4:1 g/cm3/cm3 ratio, were equal to 225–375 g/dm3 H2SO4 and 0–250 g/dm3 H2O2, respectively. Various oxidants such as H2O2, MnO2, air, oxygen, and Fe3+ ions were tested in the leaching experiments. The optimal leaching conditions were proven to be a temperature of 70 °C, duration of 180 min, S/L ratio of 0.2 g/cm3, and consumption rate of 13.4 mmol H2SO4/g. These leaching conditions led to the recovery of 96.1% Fe, 87.0% Cu, and 86.9% Zn with the addition of 2.94 mmol H2O2/g and 95.2% Fe, 84.7% Cu, and 67.5% Zn with the addition of 0.095 g MnO2/g. These results suggest that metallic iron particles contained in a CBWS sample complicate copper dissolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Separation, Purification and Extraction of Metals from Primary and Secondary Resources)
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14 pages, 6729 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 569
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 [...] 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 1273–1623 K. The results demonstrate that impurities can be effectively removed without compromising the natural structure of MoS2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Separation, Purification and Extraction of Metals from Primary and Secondary Resources)
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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 1395
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
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Separation, Purification and Extraction of Metals from Primary and Secondary Resources)
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Review

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22 pages, 11628 KiB  
Review
Advances in Heavy Metal Extraction Using Organophosphorus Compounds: A Comprehensive Review
by Meriem Essakhraoui, Aziz Boukhair, Fouad Bentiss, Hamid Mazouz, Redouane Beniazza and Nils Haneklaus
Metals 2025, 15(5), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15050524 - 6 May 2025
Viewed by 302
Abstract
Organophosphorus compounds (OPC) are a large class of organic compounds that provide a wide range of applications, and their importance has grown steadily in recent years. In each category and family, these compounds have similarities and differences. Due to their immense variety, these [...] Read more.
Organophosphorus compounds (OPC) are a large class of organic compounds that provide a wide range of applications, and their importance has grown steadily in recent years. In each category and family, these compounds have similarities and differences. Due to their immense variety, these chemicals have various properties and, therefore, various applications. In fact, various works have been published recently that present the main applications of OPC, especially in metal extraction. Despite their extemsive range of use, optimizing their performance as extractant agents remains a challenge due to their structural variability and sensitivity to process parameters. This review provides a critical analysis of pentavalent OPCs, focusing on how their chemical nature influences heavy metal extraction efficiency. For the first time, we present a novel classification system for OPCs based on phosphorus valency and heteroatom coordination, offering a framework to guide future research. Our findings reveal that the direct coordination of the phosphorus to heteroatoms such as oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen has a great influence on the physicochemical characteristics of the extractant and the metal extraction efficiency. This observation is in line with Pearson’s Hard and Soft Acids and Bases (HSAB) theory in the sense that it demonstrates that altering the heteroatom alters the metal affinity of the ligand. As a result, these structural modifications can improve the extraction performance by up to 40% for some heavy metals, highlighting the potential for optimized molecular designs to maximize industrial applications. In the future, this work offers a solid foundation for future studies on the rational design of organophosphorus-based extractants. Using HSAB theory and our novel classification system, researchers can rationally design OPCs for their target metal with unparalleled precision. These results have transformative impacts on metal recovery efficiency-intensive sectors like mining, waste recycling, and clean energy technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Separation, Purification and Extraction of Metals from Primary and Secondary Resources)
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