Reductive leaching of indium from the neutral leaching residue using oxalic acid in sulfuric acid solution

The present study evaluates the reductive leaching of indium from indium-bearing zinc ferrite using oxalic acid as a reducer in sulfuric acid solution. The effect of main factors affecting the process rate, including the oxalic-acid-to-sulfuric-acid ratio, stirring rate, grain size, temperature, and the initial concentration of synergic acid, was precisely evaluated. The results confirmed the acceptable efficiency of dissolving indium in the presence of oxalic acid. The shrinking-core model with a chemical-reaction-controlled step can correctly describe the kinetics of indium dissolution. On the basis of an apparent activation energy of 44.55 kJ/mol and a reaction order with respect to the acid concentration of 1.14, the presence of oxalic acid was found to reduce the sensitivity to temperature changes and to increase the effect of changes in acid concentration. Finally, the equation of the kinetic model based on the factors under study is presented.