Selective removal of mercury using zinc sulfide
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2013
Department
Department of Chemical Engineering
Abstract
Selective removal of mercury from cyanide leaching solutions while retaining silver has been a long-standing problem, due to the chemical similarity of mercury and silver. In order to be practical, a mercury removal process needs to be both highly selective and use inexpensive materials. This paper reports the use of zinc sulfide (ZnS) as a precipitant for mercury. The mercury cyanide complex (Hg(CN)42-) undergoes a replacement reaction with the zinc sulfide, forming insoluble HgS, while the silver cyanide complex (Ag(CN)2-) remains in solution. Under appropriate conditions, the separation of mercury from silver is nearly quantitative, with close to 100% removal of mercury, while nearly none of the silver is precipitated.
Publication Title
Minerals and Metallurgical Processing
Recommended Citation
Gabby, K.,
&
Eisele, T. C.
(2013).
Selective removal of mercury using zinc sulfide.
Minerals and Metallurgical Processing,
30(2), 91-94.
http://doi.org/10.1007/bf03402410
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/4588