HYDROMETALLURGICAL PROCESSING OF EGYPTIAN BLACK SHALE OF THE QUSEIR-SAFAGA REGION

Hydrometallurgical processing of black shale (Quseir-Safaga region) is attained through leaching with sulphuric acid under oxygen pressure ( atmospheric leaching leads to complete dissolution of both vanadium an d iron). Separation of iron from vanadium is very difficult, due to th e narrow pH precipitation range of the two metals (pH 2-3). Leaching u nder oxygen pressure leads to the oxidation of iron and its precipitat ion as basic iron sulphate, leaving vanadium in solution. The kinetics of the leaching processes were investigated and the optimum leaching conditions were determined.