Antimony Recovery from End-of-Life Products and Industrial Process Residues: A Critical Review

Dupont, David; Arnout, Sander; Jones, Peter Tom; Binnemans, Koen

doi:10.1007/s40831-016-0043-y

Cited by 126 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 154 publications

(243 reference statements)

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“…Antimony is a common impurity in chalcopyrite, which is the most important sulfide mineral in primary copper production [28]. Antimony is used in a range of applications, such as rechargeable batteries, semiconductors and as a synergist for brominated flame retardants used in plastics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavior of Tin and Antimony in Secondary Copper Smelting Process

et al. 2019

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Different types of metal-bearing wastes, such as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), are important urban minerals in modern society, and the efficient recycling and reuse of their metal values is of key interest. Pyrometallurgical copper smelting is one of the most prominent ways of treating WEEE, however, more accurate experimental data is needed regarding the behavior of different elements during each process stage. This article investigates the behavior of tin and antimony, both commonly present as trace elements in electrical and electronic waste, in secondary (i.e., sulfur-free) copper smelting conditions. The experiments were conducted in oxygen partial pressure range of 10−10–10−5 atm, covering the different process steps in copper smelting. The basis of the equilibrium system was metallic copper–iron silicate slag, with the addition of alumina and potassium oxide to account for the presence of these compounds in the actual industrial process. The results showed that the distribution coefficients of both trace metals, LCu/slag = [wt % Me]copper/(wt % Me)slag, increased significantly as a function of decreasing oxygen pressure, and the addition of basic potassium oxide also had an increasing effect on the distribution coefficient. A brief comparison between EPMA and LA-ICP-MS (electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry), the two in situ analytical techniques used, was also presented and discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavior of Tin and Antimony in Secondary Copper Smelting Process

et al. 2019

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“…Firstly, its use increased significantly in the first decade of the present century (total antimony consumption grew by about 40% and from 147,000 to 206,000 tonnes between 2000 and 2011; USGS, 2016) and, although global production has receded slightly since 2011, it is predicted to increase from 2015 to 2020 (Dupont et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field-portable-XRF reveals the ubiquity of antimony in plastic consumer products

Turner

Filella

2017

Science of The Total Environment

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Very little systematic information exists on the occurrence and concentrations of antimony (Sb) in consumer products. In this study, a Niton XL3t field-portable-X-ray fluorescence (FP-XRF) spectrometer was deployed in situ and in the laboratory to provide quantitative information on Sb dissipated in plastic items and fixtures (including rubber, textile and foamed materials) from the domestic, school, vehicular and office settings. The metalloid was detected in 18% of over 800 measurements performed, with concentrations ranging from about 60 to 60,000μgg. The highest concentrations were encountered in white, electronic casings and in association with similar concentrations of Br, consistent with the use of antimony oxides (e.g. SbO) as synergistic flame retardants. Concentrations above 1000μgg, and with or without Br, were also encountered in paints, piping and hosing, adhesives, whiteboards, Christmas decorations, Lego blocks, document carriers, garden furniture, upholstered products and interior panels of private motor vehicles. Lower concentrations of Sb were encountered in a wide variety of items but its presence (without Br) in food tray packaging, single-use drinks bottles, straws and small toys were of greatest concern from a human health perspective. While the latter observations are consistent with the use of antimony compounds as catalysts in the production of polyethylene terephthalate, co-association of Sb and Br in many products not requiring flame retardancy suggests that electronic casings are widely recycled. Further research is required into the mobility of Sb when dissipated in new, recycled and aged polymeric materials.

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“…80 kg of Sb/y. Entrained Sb could potentially be recovered by oxide volatilization wherein volatile Sb 2 O 3 would be recovered following roasting at 1000 °C (Dupont et al 2016). Oxide volatilization is a pyrometallurgical process used to recover Sb from low-grade sulfidic ores (5-25% Sb), typically generating commercial grade Sb 2 O 3 of > 99% purity (Anderson 2012).…”

Section: Potential For Sb Recoverymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additional study is necessary to determine whether the low As:Sb ratio of EWT residues facilitates simplified Sb recovery from the solid phase. Several multi-step leaching processes have been proposed for selective extraction of Sb from pyrometallurgical wastes and incinerator residues (see Dupont et al 2016 and references therein). Some of these hydrometallurgical processes have effectively isolated Sb from a range of different wastes at the laboratory scale (Dupont et al 2016); however, a single productionscale method for effective, cost-efficient Sb extraction from complex mixtures has yet to be widely accepted.…”

Section: Potential For Sb Recoverymentioning

confidence: 99%

Mine Water as a Resource: Selective Removal and Recovery of Trace Antimony from Mine-Impacted Water

et al. 2019

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of combined modular processes to selectively remove Sb from mine-impacted waters in an Arctic environment in order to fulfil local environmental criteria for discharged waters. Novel ion exchange, selective extraction and ultrafiltration, electrocoagulation, and dissolved air flotation technologies were investigated, individually or in combination, from the laboratory-to pilot-demonstration scale. Laboratory-scale testing using Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 precipitation, ion exchange resin, selective ion extraction and ultrafiltration, and electrocoagulation with or without subsequent dissolved air flotation indicated that any of the methods are potentially applicable to Sb removal from mine water. The observed differences between Sb and As removal efficiency by ion exchange resin illustrated the need for Sb-specific removal and recovery technologies. Techno-economic analyses showed that treatment of mine water using electrocoagulationdissolved air flotation yields the lowest comparative life-cycle cost of examined technologies. Results demonstrated increased Sb attenuation efficiency using either electrocoagulation-dissolved air flotation or selective extraction and ultrafiltration, even when treating only 50% of the mine-impacted water, compared with conventional Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 precipitation from mine water. Additional investigation is necessary to characterize the long-term stability of the mineral phases in Sb-containing solid residues and to inform selection of Sb recovery methods and utilisation or final disposal options for the residual materials.

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Antimony Recovery from End-of-Life Products and Industrial Process Residues: A Critical Review

Cited by 126 publications

References 154 publications

Behavior of Tin and Antimony in Secondary Copper Smelting Process

Behavior of Tin and Antimony in Secondary Copper Smelting Process

Field-portable-XRF reveals the ubiquity of antimony in plastic consumer products

Mine Water as a Resource: Selective Removal and Recovery of Trace Antimony from Mine-Impacted Water

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