Removal of aluminum from filtration solutions by adsorption at calcium carbonate

Immobilization of aluminum runs fast with achievement of residual metal concentrations less than 0.2 mg/l in solution. Intense precipitation starts after solution pH is increased to 4.6. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy were used to investigate interaction of aluminum sulfate solutions with natural calcium carbonate. Calcite enables immobilizing major amount of aluminum. Fine cleaning of the solutions requires 5–10 times higher consumption of the precipitation agent from stoichiometry. Much sulfur is fixated as calcium sulfate (gypsum). It is shown that aluminum is precipitated from sulfate solutions at calcium not as hydroxide or carbonate but as the main sulfate–basaluminite. Morphologically, precipitates represent large needlelike gypsum crystals (to 100 µm) piercing fine spherical particles with a diameter less than 5 µm. 

Zhizhaev A. M., Mikhailov A. G., Tselyuk D. I., Removal of aluminum from filtration solutions by adsorption at calcium carbonate. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(2): 101-111. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_2_0_101.

The study was carried out with the framework of Project No. 125061006884-7 and on equipment of the Krasnoyarsk Center for Shared Use at the Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 

A.M. Zhizhaev¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Leading Researcher, e-mail: zhyzhaev@icct.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1447-4050,
A.G. Mikhailov¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Chief Researcher, e-mail: mag@icct.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5537-7479,
D.I. Tselyuk¹, Dr. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Leading Researcher, e-mail: tselukdi@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1447-4050,
¹ Federal Research Center «Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences» — Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

A.G. Mikhailov, e-mail: mag@icct.ru.

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