Abstracto

Effect of lime causticization on silica, calcium, oxalate and organic carbon levels in Bayer process washer overflow liquor

MaxA.Wellington

Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and Spectrometric analysis of washer overflow liquor (Stage 1-3) from a high temperature JamaicanAlumina refinery revealed significant reductions in liquor calcium (>75%) and Silica (~90%) respectively after causticization using lime (CaO). Reductions were also observed in liquor sulfate (7-14%), fluoride (5-14%), oxalate (2-7%), chloride (6-13%) and Organic Carbon (4-5%) concentrations after causticization.Analysis of the causticization sludge by X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Infra-red thermal analysis confirmed the removal of silica, calcium, phosphorus and organic carbon respectively from the Bayer process liquor.