The optimization of low-magnesium zinc concentrate production process

In this paper the result of the study on chemical leaching of zinc concentrate with H₂SO₄ solution was presented. The object of this work was to assess the effect of some parameters such as acid concentration, the leaching agent amount /stoichiometry amount or excess of acid were applied/, reaction time and temperature on the process. The investigation was performed as a active experiment according to Hartley's plan. The process optimisation procedure was based on the fuzzy logic system. Mainly, the parameters such as magnesium leaching efficiency and zinc losses were taken into account. It was stated that the highest magnesium leaching efficiency of 77.8% with low Zn-losses was reached when H₂SO₄ solution concentration was 2.5% for 20%-excess of acid, at temperature 25°C and process time of 1 hour.