Determination of Iridium and Rhodium in Copper Anode Slime by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry with Nickel Sulphide Fire Assay

BACKGROUND With the wide application of iridium and rhodium in aerospace, electronics, energy and other fields, it has become a very attractive metal in the world. In China, iridium and rhodium ore resources are relatively scarce with low grade, so it is essential to recover iridium and rhodium from...

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Main Authors: LIU Fangmei, GAN Cong, LIAO Binling, LUO Xiaobing, LAI Qiuxiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Science Press, PR China 2023-03-01
Series:Yankuang ceshi
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ykcs.ac.cn/en/article/doi/10.15898/j.cnki.11-2131/td.202205160102
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author LIU Fangmei
GAN Cong
LIAO Binling
LUO Xiaobing
LAI Qiuxiang
author_facet LIU Fangmei
GAN Cong
LIAO Binling
LUO Xiaobing
LAI Qiuxiang
author_sort LIU Fangmei
collection DOAJ
description BACKGROUND With the wide application of iridium and rhodium in aerospace, electronics, energy and other fields, it has become a very attractive metal in the world. In China, iridium and rhodium ore resources are relatively scarce with low grade, so it is essential to recover iridium and rhodium from secondary mineral resources. Copper anode slime enriches most of the precious metals such as iridium and rhodium in ores, which has high comprehensive recovery value. At present, there is no detection standard for iridium and rhodium in copper anode slime. The migration behavior of iridium and rhodium was not clear, so it was difficult to achieve directional enrichment and efficient extraction of iridium and rhodium metals. Therefore, the development of detection methods for iridium and rhodium in copper anode slime is an important prerequisite for the recovery and extraction of iridium and rhodium. OBJECTIVES An analytical method for accurate determination of iridium and rhodium in copper anode slime was established to maximize the utilization of mineral resources and the recycling rate of iridium, rhodium and other precious metals. At the same time, it could provide data support for the purification of iridium and rhodium in copper anode slime. METHODS In this paper, a method for determination of iridium and rhodium in copper anode slime by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with nickel sulphide fire assay was established. In the experiment, the precious metals iridium and rhodium in the sample were captured by nickel sulphide fire assay. The NiS beads were dissolved with 50% hydrochloric acid so that the precipitation of rhodium and iridium was separated from silver and other impurity elements through filtration when it was hot. The precipitates containing iridium and rhodium were effectively separated from silver and other impurity elements. The precipitate of iridium and rhodium with filter film were transferred into a closed digestion tank and dissolved in 50% aqua regia. The contents of iridium and rhodium in the solution were directly determined by ICP-MS. RESULTS The conditions such as the ingredient of nickel sulphide fire assay, the concentration of hydrochloric acid, tellurium coprecipitation, the sealing digestion time and temperature were studied. The experimental results showed that the molten slag was acidic when the ratio of nickel to sulfur was 4∶1, and it could effectively capture the iridium and rhodium in the sample with good fluidity of molten slag and the separation effect of slag buckle. When the NiS beads were dissolved by 50% hydrochloric acid, the dissolution reaction of NiS beads was suitable and complete. The precipitation containing rhodium and iridium was separated from impurity elements and filtered when hot. The precipitation was sealed and digested by dilute aqua regia (1∶1) at 160℃ for 2-3h. The possible MS interference was eliminated by selecting a suitable determination isotope. The 185Re was selected as the internal standard of 103Rh and 203Tl as the internal standard of 193Ir to eliminate the effect of signal drift, the results of iridium and rhodium had high precision and accuracy. The standard solution series of iridium and rhodium were determined under the optimized experimental conditions. The results indicated that the mass concentration of iridium and rhodium in the range of 10-100μg/L were linear to the ratio of the intensity of iridium and rhodium to the internal standard mass spectrometry. The calibration curves of iridium and rhodium were y=36674.6x+8264.7 and y=45686.7x+288.6, respectively, and the linear correlation coefficient (r) of calibration curves of iridium and rhodium were more than 0.999. The detection limits for iridium and rhodium were 0.007μg/L and 0.011μg/L, respectively, and the lower limits of detection were 0.024μg/L and 0.038μg/L, respectively. The content results of rhodium and iridium in 8 actual samples with the method showed that, the relative standard deviation (RSD, n=7) was between 1.40% and 4.57%, and the recovery was in the range of 95.00% to 103.65%. CONCLUSIONS The method has high efficiency and accuracy and can meet the detection requirements of copper anode slime samples.
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spelling doaj.art-4d4d3a46694c425daf4ac588362609832023-05-11T10:45:01ZengScience Press, PR ChinaYankuang ceshi0254-53572023-03-0142229830610.15898/j.cnki.11-2131/td.202205160102yk202205160102Determination of Iridium and Rhodium in Copper Anode Slime by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry with Nickel Sulphide Fire AssayLIU Fangmei0GAN Cong1LIAO Binling2LUO Xiaobing3LAI Qiuxiang4Zijin Copper Co., Ltd., Fujian Provine Key Laboratory for Green Production of Copper and Comprehensive Utilization of Associated Resources, Shanghang 364204, ChinaZijin Copper Co., Ltd., Fujian Provine Key Laboratory for Green Production of Copper and Comprehensive Utilization of Associated Resources, Shanghang 364204, ChinaZijin Copper Co., Ltd., Fujian Provine Key Laboratory for Green Production of Copper and Comprehensive Utilization of Associated Resources, Shanghang 364204, ChinaZijin Copper Co., Ltd., Fujian Provine Key Laboratory for Green Production of Copper and Comprehensive Utilization of Associated Resources, Shanghang 364204, ChinaZijin Copper Co., Ltd., Fujian Provine Key Laboratory for Green Production of Copper and Comprehensive Utilization of Associated Resources, Shanghang 364204, ChinaBACKGROUND With the wide application of iridium and rhodium in aerospace, electronics, energy and other fields, it has become a very attractive metal in the world. In China, iridium and rhodium ore resources are relatively scarce with low grade, so it is essential to recover iridium and rhodium from secondary mineral resources. Copper anode slime enriches most of the precious metals such as iridium and rhodium in ores, which has high comprehensive recovery value. At present, there is no detection standard for iridium and rhodium in copper anode slime. The migration behavior of iridium and rhodium was not clear, so it was difficult to achieve directional enrichment and efficient extraction of iridium and rhodium metals. Therefore, the development of detection methods for iridium and rhodium in copper anode slime is an important prerequisite for the recovery and extraction of iridium and rhodium. OBJECTIVES An analytical method for accurate determination of iridium and rhodium in copper anode slime was established to maximize the utilization of mineral resources and the recycling rate of iridium, rhodium and other precious metals. At the same time, it could provide data support for the purification of iridium and rhodium in copper anode slime. METHODS In this paper, a method for determination of iridium and rhodium in copper anode slime by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with nickel sulphide fire assay was established. In the experiment, the precious metals iridium and rhodium in the sample were captured by nickel sulphide fire assay. The NiS beads were dissolved with 50% hydrochloric acid so that the precipitation of rhodium and iridium was separated from silver and other impurity elements through filtration when it was hot. The precipitates containing iridium and rhodium were effectively separated from silver and other impurity elements. The precipitate of iridium and rhodium with filter film were transferred into a closed digestion tank and dissolved in 50% aqua regia. The contents of iridium and rhodium in the solution were directly determined by ICP-MS. RESULTS The conditions such as the ingredient of nickel sulphide fire assay, the concentration of hydrochloric acid, tellurium coprecipitation, the sealing digestion time and temperature were studied. The experimental results showed that the molten slag was acidic when the ratio of nickel to sulfur was 4∶1, and it could effectively capture the iridium and rhodium in the sample with good fluidity of molten slag and the separation effect of slag buckle. When the NiS beads were dissolved by 50% hydrochloric acid, the dissolution reaction of NiS beads was suitable and complete. The precipitation containing rhodium and iridium was separated from impurity elements and filtered when hot. The precipitation was sealed and digested by dilute aqua regia (1∶1) at 160℃ for 2-3h. The possible MS interference was eliminated by selecting a suitable determination isotope. The 185Re was selected as the internal standard of 103Rh and 203Tl as the internal standard of 193Ir to eliminate the effect of signal drift, the results of iridium and rhodium had high precision and accuracy. The standard solution series of iridium and rhodium were determined under the optimized experimental conditions. The results indicated that the mass concentration of iridium and rhodium in the range of 10-100μg/L were linear to the ratio of the intensity of iridium and rhodium to the internal standard mass spectrometry. The calibration curves of iridium and rhodium were y=36674.6x+8264.7 and y=45686.7x+288.6, respectively, and the linear correlation coefficient (r) of calibration curves of iridium and rhodium were more than 0.999. The detection limits for iridium and rhodium were 0.007μg/L and 0.011μg/L, respectively, and the lower limits of detection were 0.024μg/L and 0.038μg/L, respectively. The content results of rhodium and iridium in 8 actual samples with the method showed that, the relative standard deviation (RSD, n=7) was between 1.40% and 4.57%, and the recovery was in the range of 95.00% to 103.65%. CONCLUSIONS The method has high efficiency and accuracy and can meet the detection requirements of copper anode slime samples.http://www.ykcs.ac.cn/en/article/doi/10.15898/j.cnki.11-2131/td.202205160102iridiumrhodiumcopper anode slimenickel sulphide fire assayinductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry
spellingShingle LIU Fangmei
GAN Cong
LIAO Binling
LUO Xiaobing
LAI Qiuxiang
Determination of Iridium and Rhodium in Copper Anode Slime by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry with Nickel Sulphide Fire Assay
Yankuang ceshi
iridium
rhodium
copper anode slime
nickel sulphide fire assay
inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry
title Determination of Iridium and Rhodium in Copper Anode Slime by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry with Nickel Sulphide Fire Assay
title_full Determination of Iridium and Rhodium in Copper Anode Slime by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry with Nickel Sulphide Fire Assay
title_fullStr Determination of Iridium and Rhodium in Copper Anode Slime by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry with Nickel Sulphide Fire Assay
title_full_unstemmed Determination of Iridium and Rhodium in Copper Anode Slime by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry with Nickel Sulphide Fire Assay
title_short Determination of Iridium and Rhodium in Copper Anode Slime by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry with Nickel Sulphide Fire Assay
title_sort determination of iridium and rhodium in copper anode slime by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with nickel sulphide fire assay
topic iridium
rhodium
copper anode slime
nickel sulphide fire assay
inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry
url http://www.ykcs.ac.cn/en/article/doi/10.15898/j.cnki.11-2131/td.202205160102
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