Hydrometallurgical preparation of high-grade industrial manganese compound from a low-grade spessartine ore by Cyanex?272 extractant

This study highlights a hydrometallurgical method for the purification, extraction, and beneficiation of a multi-elemental leach liquor obtained via reductive leaching of spessartine ore, for the production of high-grade manganese compound. During these treatments, the effect of Cyanex (R) 272 concentrations, pH, aqueous: organic (A/O) was quantified. At optimal conditions (Temperature = 27 +/- 2 degrees C, 0.2 mol/L Cyanex (R) 272, pH = 4.5, A/O = 1:1), manganese extraction efficiency was >90%. The stripping of the loaded organic phase by 0.1 mol/L sulphuric acids yielded 95.7% in a single stripping stage. The resulting aqueous solution was appreciably beneficiated to produce manganese sulphate monohydrate (MnSO4.H2O: 49-315-9500, melting point = 702.8 degrees C) via precipitation and crystallisation methods. Finally, a flow sheet summarising the analytical treatment steps was provided.