This work describes highly efficient recovery and selective leaching of Zn from electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) with different physicochemical properties, induced by acid leaching at ambient conditions. The chemical compositions, mineralogical phases, and particle sizes of the EAFDs were analyzed and compared. The effects of leaching time, liquid/solid ratio, acid type, and acid concentration on the selective leaching of Zn were also studied. The EAFD with high Fe/Zn ratio (>1, EAFD 3) was richer in ZnFe 2 O 4 and exhibited larger particle size than samples with low Fe/Zn ratio (<1, EAFD 1,2). ANOVA analysis revealed that the Fe/Zn ratios of the EAFDs also have a significant effect on Zn extraction (p <0.005). Selective leaching of Zn with minimum Fe dissolution was obtained at pH >4.5, regardless of other parameters or sample properties. The maximum Zn extraction rate obtained by the pH control was over 97% for EAFD 1 and EAFD 2 , 76% for EAFD 3 , and 80% for EAFD 4. The present results confirm that the Fe/Zn ratio can be used to identify EAFDs that permits facile and high-yield Zn recovery, and pH can be used as a process control factor for selective leaching of Zn regardless of any differences in the properties of the EAFD sample.

The present study investigated the effect of a water-washing process, which is part of the acid hydrometallurgical process for recovery of high purity of zinc, on the removal of alkali metals and chlorides (Na, K, Ca, Cl) from Electric arc furnace dust (EAFD). Two EAFD samples with different properties were characterized by particle size, XRD and element analysis, and their washing efficiencies (%) on alkali metals and chlorides were compared according to pH, washing time, liquid to solid (L/S) ratio and number of washings. The results show that the alkali metals and chlorides could be effectively removed by the washing (at L/S ration of 3 for more than 30 min., pH 10~11) while minimizing loss of zinc (<0.1%), in which the washing efficiency was Na-78%, K-76%, Cl >99%, respectively. Na and K could be removed up to 97% and 89% respectively by 3 times of repeated washings. With increased sample volume (10 times) of the mixed (1:1, w/w) sample with two types of EAFD, it was confirmed that the pH(10~11) can be used as the main process control parameter for the washing of the alkali metals regardless of EAFD properties.