Kinetics of alkaline decomposition and cyanidation of argentian ammonium jarosite in lime medium

The alkaline decomposition of argentian ammonium jarosite in lime medium is characterized by an induction period and a conversion period in which the sulfate and ammonium ions pass to the solution whereas calcium is incorporated in the residue jointly with iron; this residue is amorphous in nature. The process is chemically controlled and the order of reaction with respect to the hydroxide concentration is 0.4; the activation energy is 70 kJ mol−1. Cyanidation of argentian ammonium jarosite in lime medium presents the same reaction rate in the range of 0–10.2 mol m−3 CN−; in this range of concentration, the cyanide process can be described, as in other jarosites, in a two-step process: a step of alkaline decomposition that controls the overall process followed by a fast step of silver complexation. For higher cyanide concentration, the order of reaction with respect to cyanide is 0.65, and kinetic models of control by chemical reaction and diffusion control through the products layer both fit well; the activation energy obtained is 29 kJ mol−1; this is indicative of a mixed control of the cyanidation process in the experimental conditions employed. The process is faster than was observed in ammonium jarosite generated in zinc hydrometallurgy (Industrial Minera México, San Luı́s Potosı́, México); it seems that the reaction rate decreases when the substitution level in the jarosite lattice increases; this behavior is similar to that observed for synthetic potassium jarosite and arsenical potassium jarosite from gossan ores (Rio Tinto, Spain) presented in a previous paper.