Vol. 24, No. 2 (2025), Proc25524 https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/Proc25524

Evaluation of the presence of metallic cations (Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Pb²⁺) in silver sulfide leaching with thiosulfate: Thermodynamic and experimental study

 

Authors

G. Cisneros-Flores, J.C. Juárez-Tapia, I.A. Reyes-Domínguez, N. Toro, G. Urbano-Reyes, E.J. Muñoz-Hernández, J.I. Martínez-Soto, A. M. Teja-Ruíz

Abstract

This study evaluates the effect of Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Fe²⁺ on the selective leaching of Ag₂S with thiosulfate. Pourbaix diagrams were used to identify the stability and predominance regions of the species formed as a function of ORP and pH, providing a theoretical framework to predict the influence of each ion. Experimental tests were conducted with high-purity reagents (≥ 99.5%) to isolate the individual effect of each ion without interference from complex matrices. The results showed that Cu²⁺ at low concentrations and Zn²⁺ enhance Ag₂S leaching, while Fe²⁺, Pb²⁺, and higher concentrations of Cu²⁺ inhibit the process, exhibiting behavior similar to cyanicide metals. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis allowed the identification of byproducts formed in the solid residues. The correlation between thermodynamic, experimental, and XRD results led to the proposal of reaction mechanisms in the S₂O₃ – Ag₂S – M²⁺ systems, where M represents the analyzed cations. These findings provide fundamental insights into Ag₂S leaching with thiosulfate and its potential application in polymetallic sulfides and precious metal-containing waste.

Keywords

Silver leaching with thiosulfate, Leaching chemistry, Thiosulfate decomposition.

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