Investigations of thermal behavior of Fe.sub.3Si.sub.2O.sub.5·Sb.sub.2O.sub.3 in air atmosphere: a study of acidic leaching process of Sb mineral

The thermal behavior of Fe.sub.3Si.sub.2O.sub.5(OH).sub.4·Sb.sub.3O.sub.6(OH)·Sb.sub.2O.sub.3 (a sample of antimony from Sefidabe mine in Zahedan) was investigated by the technique of thermogravimetry under air atmosphere from 25 to 1200 °C. The obtained results from TGA were reported. This study reports comprehensive information about these minerals. XRD and XRF techniques, UV/visible and elemental analysis such as ICP are used to identify the products at different decomposition steps. The acidic leaching of this mineral Fe.sub.3Si.sub.2O.sub.5(OH).sub.4·Sb.sub.3O.sub.6(OH)·Sb.sub.2O.sub.3 is carried out, and the obtained results are reported. In total, the recovery was achieved by leaching with hydrochloric acid was 85% at D80 granulation below 45 microns. In leaching with hydrochloric acid, Sb.sub.2O.sub.2Cl.sub.2 antimony oxide chloride precipitate was obtained.