Antimony obtaining by hydrometallurgy - Emphasis on recovery from leach solutions
Keywords:
antimony recovery, electrowinning, hydrolysis and conversion, precipitation and crystallization, liquid-liquid extraction, ion exchange
Abstract
Antimony (Sb) is listed as a critical raw material in both Europe and the USA. Pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods are used for its recovery from raw sources. Hydrometallurgy is considered a suitable technology when Sb sources are low-grade ores or technogenic waste. After a brief introduction to the Sb species present in pregnant leach solutions (PLS) obtained by using different leaching reagents, this paper presents various methods for recovering Sb from PLS produced in the leaching hydrometallurgical stage. The discussion covers antimony recovery by hydrolysis and conversion, selective precipitation, crystallization, electrowinning, replacement, liquid-liquid extraction and ion exchange. Factors affecting the effectiveness of these processes and the recent attempts to improve these technologies are presented. Finally, possible future research directions are outlined.
References
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[3] B.A. McNulty, S.M. Jowitt, I. Belousov, The importance of geology in assessing by- and co product metal supply potential; A case study of antimony, bismuth, selenium, and tellurium within the copper production stream, Economic Geology, 117(6) (2022) 1367–1385. https://doi.org/10.5382/econgeo.4919.
[4] J. Segura-Salazar, P.R. Brito-Parada, Stibnite froth flotation: a critical review, Minerals Engineering, 163 (2021) 106713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2020.106713.
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[6] M.L.C.M. Henckens, P.P.J. Driessen, E. Worrell, How can we adapt to geological scarcity of antimony? Investigation of antimony’s substitutability and of other measures to achieve a sustainable use, Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 108 (2016) 54–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2016.01.012.
[7] Y. Zhang, C. Wang, B. Ma, X. Jie, P. Xing, Extracting antimony from high arsenic and gold-containing stibnite ore using slurry electrolysis, Hydrometallurgy, 186 (2019) 284–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2019.04.026.
[8] R. Nie, M. Hu, A.M. Risqi, Z. Li, S.I. Seok, Efficient and stable antimony selenoiodide solar cells, Advanced Science, 8(8) (2021) 2003172. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202003172.
[9] Y. Itzhaik, T. Bendikov, D. Hines, P.V. Kamat, H. Cohen, G. Hodes, Band diagram and effects of the KSCN treatment in TiO2/Sb2S3/CuSCN ETA, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 120(1) (2016) 31–41. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b09233.
[10] R. Parize, A. Katerski, I. Gromyko, L. Rapenne, H. Roussel, E. Kärber, E. Appert, M. Krunks, V. Consonni, ZnO/TiO2/Sb2S3 core-shell nanowire heterostructure for extremely thin absorber solar cells, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 121(18) (2017) 9672–9680. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b00178.
[11] H. Zhang, S. Yuan, H. Deng, M. Ishaq, X. Yang, T. Hou, U.A. Shah, H. Song, J. Tang, Controllable orientations for Sb2S3 solar cells by vertical VTD method, Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 28(8) (2020) 823–832. https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.3278.
[12] X. Zhou, Z. Zhang, P. Yan, Y. Jiang, H. Wang, Y. Tang, Sulfur-doped reduced graphene oxide/Sb2S3 composite for superior lithium and sodium storage, Materials Chemistry and Physics, 244 (2020) 122661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2020.122661.
[13] S. Moolayadukkam, K.A. Bopaiah, P.K. Parakkandy, S. Thomas, Antimony (Sb)-Based Anodes for Lithium–Ion Batteries: Recent Advances, Condensed Matter, 7 (2022) 27. DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/condmat7010027.
[14] H. Hwang, H. Seong, S.Y. Lee, J.H. Moon, S.K. Kim, J.B. Lee, Y. Myung, C.W. Na, J. Choi Synthesis of Sb2S3 NRs@rGO Composite as High-Performance Anode Material for Sodium-Ion Batteries, Materials, 14 (2021) 7521. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14247521.
[15] Y. Wu, W. Shuang, Y. Wang, F. Chen, S. Tang, X‑L. Wu, Z. Bai, L. Yang, J. Zhang, Recent Progress in Sodium‑Ion Batteries: Advanced Materials, Reaction Mechanisms and Energy Applications, Electrochemical Energy Reviews, 7 (2024) 17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41918-024-00215-y.
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[17] S. Dembele, A. Akcil, S. Panda, Investigation of the characteristics of stibnite (Sb2S3) flotation tailings and extraction of critical metals (Sb and As): Optimization and scale-up, Minerals Engineering, 216 (2024) 108883. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2024.108883.
[18] L. Ye, Z. Ouyang, Y. Chen, Y. Chen, Ferric chloride leaching of antimony from stibnite, Hydrometallurgy, 186 (2019) 210–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2019.04.021.
[19] L. Ye, Z. Ouyang, Y. Chen, H. Wang, L. Xiao, S. Liu, Selective separation of antimony from a Sb-Fe mixed solution by hydrolysis and application in the hydrometallurgical process of antimony extraction, Separation and Purification Technology, 228 (2019) 115753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2019.115753.
[20] E. Díaz Gutiérrez, J.A. Maldonado Calvo, J.M. Gallardo Fuentes, A. Paúl Escolano, Effect of pH hydrolysis on the recovery of antimony from spent electrolytes from copper production, Materials, 16 (2023) 3918. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16113918.
[21] Q.-H. Tian, Y.-T. Xin, L. Yang, X.-H. Wang, X.-Y. Guo, Theoretical simulation and experimental study of hydrolysis separation of SbCl3 in complexation–precipitation system, Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 26(10) (2016) 2746–2753. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1003-6326(16)64370-4.
[22] H. Hashimoto, T. Nishimura, Y. Umetsu, Hydrolysis of Antimony(III)-Hydrochloric Acid Solution at 25 oC, Materials Transactions, 44(8) (2003) 624 - 1629. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/matertrans/44/8/44_8_1624/_pdf
[23] A.I.I. Ibrahim, M. Aboelgamel, K.K. Soylu, S. Top, S. Kursunoglu, M. Altiner, Production of high-grade antimony oxide from smelter slag via leaching and hydrolysis process, Separation and Purification Technology, 354 (2025) 129355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2024.129355.
[24] L. Meng, S.-G. Zhang, D.-A. Pan, B. Li, J.-J. Tian, A.A. Volinsky, Antimony recovery from SbCl5 acid solution by hydrolysis and aging, Rare Metals, 34(6) (2015) 436–439 https://10.1007/s12598-015-0480-y.
[25] W. Stumm, J.J. Morgan, Aquatic Chemistry: Chemical Equilibria and Rates in Natural Waters - 3rd Edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York 2012, p. 365.
[26] X. Cai, B. Wei, J. Han, Y. Li, Y. Cui, G. Sun, Solvent extraction of iron(III) from hydrochloric acid solution by N,N,N′,N′-tetra-2-ethylhexyldiglycolamide in different diluents, Hydrometallurgy, 164 (2016) 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2016.04.010.
[27] D. Luo, M. Fernández de Labastida, J.L. Cortina, J. Lopez, Recovery of antimony and bismuth from arsenic-containing waste streams from the copper electrorefining circuit: An example of promoting critical metals circularity from secondary resources, Journal of Cleaner Production, 415 (2023) 137902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137902.
[28] D. Luo, J. Lopez, J.L. Cortina, Separation process for the production of high-purity antimony and bismuth oxides from copper electrorefining circuit wastes: The relevance of the redox control, Separation and Purification Technology, 343 (2024) 127137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2024.127137.
[29] J.A. Barragan, C. Ponce de León, J.R. Alemán Castro, A. Peregrina-Lucano, F. Gómez- Zamudio, E.R. Larios-Durán, Copper and antimony recovery from electronic waste by hydrometallurgical and electrochemical techniques, ACS Omega, 5 (2020) 12355–12363. https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.0c01100.
[30] Y. Ma, M. Svärd, X. Xiao, J.M. Gardner, R.T. Olsson, K. Forsberg, Precipitation and crystallization used in the production of metal salts for Li-Ion battery materials: a review, Metals, 10(12) (2020) 1609. https://doi.org/10.3390/met10121609.
[31] A. Wikedzi, Å. Sandström, S.A. Awe, Recovery of antimony compounds from alkaline sulphide leachates, International, Journal of Mineral Processing, 152 (2016) 26–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.minpro.2016.05.006.
[32] Tz. Yang, QI. Lai, Jj. Tang, G. Chu, Precipitation of antimony from the solution of sodium thioantimonite by air oxidation in the presence of catalytic agents, Journal of Central South University of Technology, 9 (2002) 107–111. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-002-0053-8.
[33] T. Yang, S. Rao, W. Liu, D. Zhang, L. Chen, Selective process for extracting antimony from refractory gold ore, Hydrometallurgy, 169 (2017) 571–575. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2017.03.014.
[34] J. Han, Z. Ou, W. Liu, F. Jiao, W. Qin, Recovery of antimony and bismuth from tin anode slime after soda roasting–alkaline leaching, Separation and Purification Technology, 242 (2020) 116789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2020.116789.
[35] R.S. Multani, T. Feldmann, G.P. Demopoulos, Removal of antimony from concentrated solutions with focus on tripuhyite (FeSbO4) synthesis, characterization and stability, Hydrometallurgy, 169 (2017) 263–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2017.02.004.
[36] Q. Tian, G. Li, Y. Xin, X. Lv, X. Lv, W. Yu, K.Yan, Comprehensive treatment of acid effluent containing antimony and arsenic by selective reduction and evaporative crystallization, Hydrometallurgy, 195 (2020) 105366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2020.105366.
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Published
2025/12/19
How to Cite
Panayotova, M., & Panayotov, V. (2025). Antimony obtaining by hydrometallurgy - Emphasis on recovery from leach solutions. Journal of Mining and Metallurgy, Section B: Metallurgy, 61(2), 249-266. Retrieved from https://aseestant.ceon.rs/index.php/jmm/article/view/58523
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