RECOVERY OF MNSO4 FROM LOW-GRADE PYROLUSITE ORES, AND OF MNSO4 AND SILVER FROM MANGANESE-SILVER ORES

The aim of this study was to economically recover MnSO4 from low-grade manganese ores, abundantly available in the Southeastern Anatolia Reg ion, and MnSO4 and silver from manganese ores containing silver. In th e research carried out thus far, an economical method aimed at treatin g these ores has not been found. In this study, the recovery of MnSO4 from low-grade manganese ores was realized. The MnSO4 recovered was fa irly pure. Our method was then applied to manganese-silver ores; fairl y good results were obtained. The silver which remained in the residue following production was taken Into a solution medium. In the first s tage of our research, studies on pyrolusite ores containing 36.98% man ganese were conducted. Ninety-one percent of the manganese was taken i nto solution as MnSO4 by providing proper conditions (the experiment w as carried out with a mixture of 1.8175 g sawdust, 9.1 mt of 96% H2SO4 , and 15.7750 g pyrolusite). In the second stage, 94.0% of the mangane se existing in used silver-pyrolusite ore was taken into solution as M nSO4 (the experiment was carried out with a mixture of 73.850 g pyrolu site, 9.9646 g sawdust, and 98.2 mt of 96% H2SO4). In this study the a mount of Silver passed into solution was found to be 3.73%. The 97% ma nganese passed into solution was crystallized as MnSO4 . H2O, and its degree of purity was determined to be 96.0%. The remaining residue was extracted with thiourea at an extraction time of 30 minutes. Also, 98 .1% of the silver and ah of the gold were taken into solution. When th e silver and gold taken into solution were exposed to adsorption with activated carbon, they were adsorbed within 21/2 hours. The thiourea h ad not been degraded within this time period.