Recovery of valuable components from aqueous extracts of tungsten ore processing waste

Tailings sands of the Dzhida tungsten–molybdenum plant contain residual ore mineralization. Mineralogical and petrological analysis of the studied tailings revealed apatite, scheelite, pyrite, magnetite, fluorite, quartz and tenorite. In water leaching of sands, such chemical elements as sulfur, fluorine, aluminum, iron, non-ferrous metals and rare earth elements pass into the extract. Limestone (calcium carbonate) was selected to concentrate valuable components from the obtained extracts; its grain surface serves as a basis for their precipitation. When interacting with aqueous solutions, hydrolysis of the upper layers of limestone occurs and hydroxide ions are released, alkalizing acidic extracts. It is noticed that the concentration of zinc, copper and calcium in aqueous solutions of the laboratory setup increases, while rare earth elements, on the contrary, decrease. The degree of REE extraction is 0.8–0.82. It is found that due to the increase in water pH, such valuable components as non-ferrous metals and rare earth elements are deposited on the surface of limestone. The chemical analysis of limestone shows that silicon, aluminum, fluorine and iron are also retained on the limestone surface. The process of extracting components from aqueous extracts of tungsten ore processing waste by limestone is accompanied by the deposition of gypsum, smithsonite and iron hydroxide.

Sanzhanova S. S., Zhambalova D. I., Plyusnin A. M. Recovery of valuable components from aqueous extracts of tungsten ore processing waste. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(1):146-155. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_1_0_146.

The study was carried out within the framework of the state contract with the Dobretsov Geological Institute, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Project No. AAAA-A21-121011890033-1, and was also partially supported by the Baikal Scientific and Educational Centers.

S.S. Sanzhanova¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Researcher, e-mail: sanzhanova7@rambler.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7584-0344,
D.I. Zhambalova¹, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Researcher, e-mail: re.ly.re@yandex.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0230-6973,
A.M. Plyusnin¹, Dr. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Head of Laboratory, e-mail: otchernye@yandex.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9380-7281,
¹ N.L. Dobretsov Geological Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 670047, Ulan-Ude, Russia. 

S.S. Sanzhanova, e-mail: sanzhanova7@rambler.ru.

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