Zhaohui Xie

Roasting-induced phase change and its influence on phosphorus removal through acid leaching for high-phosphorus iron ore

In the present study, roasting-induced phase change and its influence on phosphorus removal via leaching has been investigated for high-phosphorus iron ore. The findings indicate that phosphorus in the ore is associated with goethite and exists mainly in amorphous Fe3PO7 phase. The phosphorus remains in the amorphous phase after being roasted below 300°C. Grattarolaite (Fe3PO7) is found in samples roasted at 600–700°C, revealing that phosphorus phase is transformed from the amorphous form to crystalline grattarolaite during roasting. Leaching tests on synthesized pure grattarolaite reveal a low rate of phosphorus removal by sulfuric acid leaching. When the roasting temperature is higher than 800°C, grattarolaite is found to react with alumina to form aluminum phosphate, and the reactivity of grattarolaite with alumina increases with increasing roasting temperature. Consequently, the rate of phosphorus removal also increases with increasing roasting temperature due to the formation of acid-soluble aluminum phosphate.