The optimization of zinc phosphate production from smithsonite ore

In this stady,the optimization of dissolution conditions of the smithsonite ore (ZnCO3) which was provided from a region of Hakkari , in phosphoric acid solition was determined by Taguchi method.The ortogonal array experimental desing plan, L9(34) with four parameters and three levels Taguchi's developed from the standard test plans,was chosen to determine the optimum temperature,soild-to-liquid ratio,acid concentration and reaction time.The particle size of the used was chosen in the range of -200+160 μm As a result of the experiments, the zınc concentration was analyzed for using Atomıc Absorption Spectrometer (AAS).Statistical calculation was performed using Minitab-16 software package by Taguchi Method.The optimum condition based on the result was found as reaction temperature 50oC ,soild-to-liquid ration 5/100 (g.ml-1),asic concentration 20%,reaction time and 60 min.The most signifcantly effective parametre in the prosess of the dissolution is time and then the influence of the other parameters are determined as stirring asic concentration, temprature and soild-to-liquid.Under the optimum dissolition conditions, verification experiments showed dissolution amount of zınc as 95,89% for AAS.If estrmanted value of taguchi method calculated the 95,39 and by AAS results obtained are predict ın harmony with the result