Lead, ore

Lead ores are mainly mined for lead, zinc and silver. They include, besides galena, also sphalerite ZnS, often also pyrite FeS and/or pyrrhotite Fe S. Some notes about various lead ores are given in Table 43.2. The three first mentioned types account for the major part of lead production in the world. 

Massive sulfides, exhalites, formed by volcanogenic processes. Deposition has occurred on sea bottom 

Sediments formed by the exhalation of hydrothermal fluids, rich in metals, onto the sea floor 

Ore formed in water but in small depths. The ore mineral is found in contraction fissures in dolomite and limestone deposits 

Metals have been leached out from the bedrock and have been transported of the groundwater to quartzitic sandstones 

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Gr. molybdos, lead) Before Scheele recognized molybdenite as a distinct ore of a new element in 1778, it was confused with graphite and lead ore. The metal was prepared as an impure form in 1782 by Hjelm. Molybdenum does not occur native, but is obtained principally from molybdenite. Wulfenite, and Powellite are also minor commercial ores. 

ALKANOLAMNES - ALKANOLAMINES FROM OLEFIN OXIDES AND AT ONIA] (Vol 2) -of lead ore pEAD] (Vol 15)... 

Gravity concentration, ie, the separation of ore from gangue based on the differences in specific gravities, using jigs, heavy—medium separators, or spiral concentrators for example, is appHcable for lead ores. However, the predominant beneficiation technique used in modem plants is the bubble or froth flotation (qv) process (4,5). 

Production and Economic Aspects. Thallium is obtained commercially as a by-product in the roasting of zinc, copper, and lead ores. The thallium is collected in the flue dust in the form of oxide or sulfate with other by-product metals, eg, cadmium, indium, germanium, selenium, and tellurium. The thallium content of the flue dust is low and further enrichment steps are required. If the thallium compounds present are soluble, ie, as oxides or sulfates, direct leaching with water or dilute acid separates them from the other insoluble metals. Otherwise, the thallium compound is solubilized with oxidizing roasts, by sulfatization, or by treatment with alkaU. The thallium precipitates from these solutions as thaUium(I) chloride [7791 -12-0]. Electrolysis of the thaUium(I) sulfate [7446-18-6] solution affords thallium metal in high purity (5,6). The sulfate solution must be acidified with sulfuric acid to avoid cathodic separation of zinc and anodic deposition of thaUium(III) oxide [1314-32-5]. The metal deposited on the cathode is removed, kneaded into lumps, and dried. It is then compressed into blocks, melted under hydrogen, and cast into sticks. 

Vanadium was first discovered in 1801 by del Rio while he was examining a lead ore obtained from Zimapan, Mexico. The ore contained a new element and, because of the red color imparted to its salts on heating, it was named erythronium (redness). The identification of the element vanadium did not occur until 1830 when it was isolated from cast iron processed from an ore from mines near Taberg, Sweden. It was given the name vanadium after Vanadis, the Norse goddess of beauty. Shordy after this discovery, vanadium was shown to be identical to the erythronium that del Rio had found several years eadier. 

The exploration, evaluation, and development of zinc and lead ore bodies in North and Central America are discussed in Ref. 12. A survey of world zinc production in Ref. 13 gives all operating mines and mills, and their methods, production, and chemical analysis of the products zinc smelters are included. 

By-Product and Secondary Antimony. Antimony is often found associated with lead ores. The smelting and refining of these ores yield antimony-hearing flue, baghouse, and CottreH dusts, drosses, and slags. These materials may be treated to recover elemental antimony or antimonial lead from which antimony oxide or sodium antimonate may be produced. 

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