Investigation of Dissolution Kinetics of A Nigerian Tantalite Ore in Nitric Acid
A study of the kinetics of the dissolution of a Nigerian tantalite ore in Nitric acid has been examined. A detailed investigation on the quantitative leaching of the mineral was also carried out. The effects of some parameters such as acid concentration, contact time, temperature, particle size and the stirring rate on dissolution action have been investigated. Experimental results indicate that the dissolution rate is diffusion controlled via hydrogen ion [H + ] action, with reaction order of 0.64. About 81.3% of tantalite ore was dissolved within 120min., using 8.06M HNO 3 solution with <0.040mm particle size. Activation energy, Ea, of 22.37kJ/mole was obtained for the process. However, elemental analysis by inductively coupled-plasma mass spectrophotometry showed that the major elements in the ore are Ta(39.9%), Fe(24.9%), Ti(4.03%), S(12.4%) and Mn(2.39%). The x-ray diffractometry also confirmed the ore to exist in a single phase with tantalite characteristics peaks at 3.31A 0 , 2.55A 0 and 1.74A 0 . The ore is not radioactive by its virtue of its very low thorium and uranium contents.
Salting Out Effect of Electrolyte Solutions in The Extraction of Tantalum and Niobium Using Aqueous Biphase System
The salting-out effect of various solutions of electrolyte in the extraction of tantalum and niobium using aqueous biphasic system (ABS) was investigated. This was achieved by leaching ball-milled Tantalite ore with mineral acids (H2SO4 and HF) in the ratio of 3:1. The leached liquor was then divided into five parts and each part mixed with ABS formed (e.g. PEG-3350/20wt/wt Na2CO3) for the extraction of tantalum and niobium and then with Na2SO4, K2CO3, K2SO4, KBr, and KI salts in turn. The amount of tantalum pent oxide extracted was determined using X-ray fluorescence method. The results show that the percentage tantalum extracted was in the range of 28.17% to 54.93% i.e. increased in the order KI< KBr < K2CO3< Na2SO4, < K2SO4 with 28.17%, 30.28%, 34.51%, 43.31% and 54.93% respectively; while that of niobium pent oxide increased in the order KI< KBr < K2CO3< Na2SO4, < K2SO4 with 27.3%, 29.35%, 33.78%, 34.64% and 41.98% respectively. In conclusion electrolyte with high ionic charge and hydration radius salts-out Ta2O5 better in the ABS/electrolyte system than those with low values.
Concentration of amino acids in wine after the end of fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains
Both quantitative and qualitative differences in the utilization and release of assimilable nitrogen by two wine strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (cerevisiae and capensis) under different conditions of oxygen were observed. These differences were influenced by the presence of oxygen at the beginning of the fermentation, and by the strain of S cerevisiae. The release of some amino acids post-fermentation may be the result of reoxidation of NAD(P)H in order to maintain a normal redox balance. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry