A sustainable process for recovery of potash fertilizer from glauconite through simultaneous production of pigment grade red oxide

Abstract

A sustainable process is proposed and developed for the recovery of potash fertilizer from glauconitic clay with simultaneous production of pigment grade iron oxide. Potassium is a part of stable structure (dioctahedral T-O-T) in glauconite and locked in alumino-silicate matrix. In order to break this matrix and maximize potassium dissolution, the glauconite sample containing 5.6% K2O and 31.9% Fe2O3 was subjected to reduction with coke followed by oxidation cooling (redox roasting). The process simultaneously releases potash and convert iron in the matrix to ferric state. The redox roasted sample was leached in hydrochloric acid and the leach liquor containing 6.1 g/L of potassium and 30.2 g/L of iron was subjected to solvent extraction using mixed solvent system (20% Aliquat 336 and 15% TBP) to separate iron prior to recovery of potash. Based on McCabe-Thiele plot, two stage counter current extraction at O:A ratio of 1:0.75 and three stage stripping at O:A ratio of 0.4:1 are sufficient to remove >99% of iron from the leach solution. The strip solution was hydrothermally treated to produce red iron oxide suitable for pigment application and iron free raffinate was treated to produce fertilizer grade potassium chloride. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.