Silicates leaching

When magnesium sulphate was omitted from distilled water samples of phosphorus compounds, recovery was variable. Table 12.11 shows yields of a series of standards with and without the magnesium sulphate addition and with and without the final hydrolysis. The magnesium sulphate is used as an acidic solution (after addition to the seawater sample, the pH was about 3) to minimize silicate leaching from the glassware during evaporation. The acid and heating are necessary to hydrolyse any condensed phosphates in the final mixture. 

Figure 12. Hydrogen and sodium (relative to albite) depth profile of several silicates leached at 200°C in deionized water. [After Petit et al., (1989).]...

Syneresis of sodium silicate gels may occur under some conditions, eg, in pure gels or coarse formations. Cement grouting should then precede chemical grouting. Leaching that results from dissolution under water-saturated conditions may be eliminated by use of proper reagent proportions. 

Diatomaceous earth A fine, siliceous (made of silica) "earth" composed mainly of the skeletal remains of diatoms (single cell microscopic algae with rigid internal structure consisting mainly of silica). Tests prove that DE leaches unacceptable amounts of silicate into the water for fish health. If used as a filter substance, a silicone removing resin should be employed afterwards. 

The usual extraction procedure is to roast the crushed ore, or vanadium residue, with NaCl or Na2C03 at 850°C. This produces sodium vanadate, NaV03, which is leached out with water. Acidification with sulfuric acid to pH 2-3 precipitates red cake , a polyvanadate which, on fusing at 700°C, gives a black, technical grade vanadium pentoxide. Reduction is then necessary to obtain the metal, but, since about 80% of vanadium produced is used as an additive to steel, it is usual to effect the reduction in an electric furnace in the presence of iron or iron ore to produce ferrovanadium, which can then be used without further refinement. Carbon was formerly used as the reductant, but it is difficult to avoid the formation of an intractable carbide, and so it has been superseded by aluminium or, more commonly, ferrosilicon (p. 330) in which case lime is also added to remove the silica as a slag of calcium silicate. If pure vanadium metal is required it can... 

Zinc (76ppm of the earth s crust) is about as abundant as rubidium (78 ppm) and slightly more abundant than copper (68 ppm). Cadmium (0.16 ppm) is similar to antimony (0.2 ppm) it is twice as abundant as mercury (0.08 ppm), which is itself as abundant as silver (0.08 ppm) and close to selenium (0.05 ppm). These elements are chalcophiles (p. 648) and so, in the reducing atmosphere prevailing when the earth s crust solidified, they separated out in the sulfide phase, and their most important ores are therefore sulfides. Subsequently, as rocks were weathered, zinc was leached out to be precipitated as carbonate, silicate or phosphate. 

More quantative leaching data is needed for well characterized sodium silicate glasses containing U+ and U"1 ions. 

Silicate glasses, physical properties, 150-54 Single-phase reactions, ground-water 335-44 Site, ground-water leaching,... 

Silica gel is prepared in two stages. Firstly, an intimate mixture of sand and sodium carbonate are heated together in iron pans forming sodium silicate with the release of carbon dioxide. The sodium silicate is leached out of the cooled mixture, unreacted sand removed by filtration, and the resulting silicate solution treated with hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. 

Dissolution of CaCOs is a congruent reaction the entire mineral is weathered and results completely in soluble products. The above reaction is driven to the right by an increase of CO2 partial pressure and by the removal of the Ca and/or bicarbonate. Any impurities present in the calcareous rock, such as silicates, oxides, organic compounds, and others, are left as residue. As the calcium and bicarbonate leach... 

Smectite is the first secondary mineral to form upon rock weathering in the semi-arid to sub-humid tropics. Smectite clay retains most of the ions, notably Ca2+ and Mg2+, released from weathering primary silicates. Iron, present as Fe2+ in primary minerals, is preserved in the smectite crystal lattice as Fe3+. The smectites become unstable as weathering proceeds and basic cations and silica are removed by leaching. Fe3+-compounds however remain in the soil, lending it a reddish color aluminum is retained in kaolinite and A1-oxides. Leached soil components accumulate at poorly drained, lower terrain positions where they precipitate and form new smectitic clays that remain stable as long as the pH is above neutral. Additional circumstances for the dominance of clays are ... 

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