Production of highly purified zirconium oxide from zircon mineral leach liquor using bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate as a promising extractant

In this manuscript, efficiency of the used organic solvent for recovering, separating and producing highly purified zirconium oxide from zirconium chloride leach liquor of Rosetta white zircon concentrate was investigated. Zircon mineral was thermally decomposed with caustic soda, cooled, washed with distilled water and then dissolved in hydrochloric acid. Zirconium extraction efficiency reached 91.4% using 10% bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate dissolved in kerosene, 15 min contact time and volume phase ratio O/A 1:1 after 3 stages. Zirconium re-extraction efficiency reached 99.95% using the following optimum conditions 4 molL−1 H2SO4 as an effective stripping agent, 15 min contact time and volume phase ratio O:A 1:1 after 2 stages. Finally, Zr (OH)4 was precipitated in presence and absence of H2O2 by NH4OH solution, filtrated, rinsed with double distilled H2O to remove any impurities several times and dehydrated at 200 °C for 2 h. From XRF and EDAX analysis the produced zirconium oxide in presence of H2O2 is purer than that produced in absence of H2O2.