The extraction of tin (Sn) from primary tin ore deposits using wet chlorination

Abstract

More than half of the world’s tin production is from secondary ore deposits. However, along with its depletion, PT Timah Tbk has explored and mined the primary deposits in Belitung, one that is expected to become tin’s new source. Tin was found liberated as cassiterite in the secondary deposits, while in the primary, it was associated with other minerals requiring more complex processing. Therefore, a suitable technology is needed to extract the tin from the primary ore deposits. This research aims to observe the extraction of tin from primary deposits (oxide and skarn ores) using HCl wet chlorination, observed at different temperature (60 – 90°C), HCl concentrations (10 – 50 % excess of stoichiometric amount), leaching time (60 – 300 minutes), and with or without the addition of oxidant (hydrogen peroxide, H2O2). The research found that the highest percentage of tin extraction from oxide and skarn ores was 92.32% and 97.28%, respectively. Both results were achieved at the same optimum condition: temperature of 60°C, 50% excess of HCl, 240 minutes of leaching time, and at two-fold excess of the stoichiometric amount of H2O2. It was concluded that oxidative wet chlorination could be used to recover tin from its primary ore deposits.