Selective Recovery of Manganese from Anode Sludge Residue by Reductive Leaching

Manganese-containing anode sludge is a common side-product in the electrowinning of zinc. The anode sludge consists mainly of oxidized manganese, but also lesser amounts of lead, calcium, and other minor metals. The impurities present in the anode sludge mandate new recycling strategies for its efficient use. This work demonstrates a novel method for selective manganese recovery from lead- and calcium-bearing manganese oxide solid residue. Leaching with sulfuric acid in the presence of a selected reducing agent, such as hydrogen peroxide or citric acid, yields a concentrated MnSO4 solution with high selectivity over calcium and lead. Manganese yields up to 98% can be obtained. Minimization of calcium and lead in final manganese product can be accomplished with the correct choice of leaching conditions. Alongside manganese sulfate solution, leaching residue with high content of lead and silver was also formed.