Author(s)

C. I. Nwoye

Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Federal University of Technology,Owerri, Nigeria..

Model for predicting the initial solution pH at pre-assumed final pH and concentration of dissolved zinc, during leaching of galena in butanoic acid solution has been derived. The model; α = 1.4γ/ln[(Zn) ^1/3shows that the initial pH of the leaching is dependent on the values of the pre-assumed final solution pH and concentration of dissolved zinc. The validity of the model was rooted in the expression e^N(γ/α) = 3√Zn where both sides of the expression were approximately equal to 4. The respective deviation of the model-predicted initial solution pH value from that of the corresponding experimental value was less than 2% which is quite within the acceptable deviation limit of experimental results.

Model, Prediction, pH, Butanoic Acid, Galena, Leaching

C. Nwoye, "Model for Predicting the Initial Solution pH at Pre-Assumed Final pH and Concentration of Dissolved Zinc during Leaching of Galena in Butanoic Acid Solution," Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering, Vol. 8 No. 8, 2009, pp. 621-633. doi: 10.4236/jmmce.2009.88054.