Determination of Optimum Process Conditions by Central Composite Design Method and Examination of Leaching Kinetics of Smithsonite Ore Using Nitric Acid Solution

The leaching behavior of Tunceli smithsonite ore in nitric acid was evaluated in two study steps including optimization of leaching process and kinetics modeling. The individual and synergistic effects of effective parameters such as nitric acid concentration, solid-to-liquid ratio, stirring speed, and temperature on the dissolution rate of zinc were investigated using central composite design. Four factors including temperature (30–50 °C), nitric acid concentration (0.2–0.5 mol/L), stirring speed (350–600 rpm), and solid-to-liquid ratio (0.004–0.01 g/L) were investigated. The dissolution percent of zinc (97%) was obtained in 120 min of leaching time: acid concentration 0.5 mol/L, temperature 50 °C, stirring speed 500 rpm, and solid–liquid ratio 2/500 g/mL at the optimum conditions obtained using the central composite design. The dissolution kinetics of smithsonite was examined according to heterogenous models and it was found that the dissolution rate was controlled by ash layer diffusion process. It was found that the leaching rate increased with increasing temperature, stirring speed, and acid concentration as well as decrescent particle size and solid/liquid ratio. The trial data were analyzed by statistical and graphical methods and the activation energy of this leaching process was determined to be 28.63 kJ·mol−1. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].