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Molybdenum extraction from molysulfide

Journal Article · · Met. Trans., v. 5, no. 3, pp. 707-713
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02644667· OSTI ID:4330558

Two different extraction processes were used to extract molybdenum metal from technical grade molysulfide. The first one involved two steps: open- aiuminothermic reduction of molysulfide in presence of potassium chlorate as a thermal booster for obtaining massive molybdenum, and its conversion to high purity molybdenum metal by fused-salt electrorefining in a KCl-K/sub 3/MoCl/sub 6/ electrolyte. The second approach aimed at direct recovery of molybdenum from molysulfide-carbon anodes by fused-salt electrolysis again in the KCl-K/sub 3/ MoCl/sub 6/ electrolyte. In the electrorefining of the thermit metal, a metal recovery of 85% and an average current efficiency of 70% were achieved at 0.8 to 0.75 V using a cathode current density of 7499 to 8332 A/m/sup 2/, a bath temperature of 1173 deg K and an electrolyte with 7.5% molybdenum content. With the same electrolyte and under almost similar conditions, electrolysis with molysulfide carbon anodes at a cathode current density of 14,998 to 15,554 A/m/ sup 2/ gave a metal recovery of 82%. at an average current efficiency of 50%. Both the routes yielded molybdenum of comparable purity. (auth)

Research Organization:
Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Trombay, India
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
NSA Number:
NSA-29-024684
OSTI ID:
4330558
Journal Information:
Met. Trans., v. 5, no. 3, pp. 707-713, Journal Name: Met. Trans., v. 5, no. 3, pp. 707-713; ISSN MTGTB
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English