Effect of sintering temperature on mineral composition and heavy metals mobility in tailings bricks

Abstract In this study, the mixing mechanism and phase transition process of different metals during the sintering of tailings bricks with four different metal oxides (CuO, PbO, ZnO, and CdO) at temperatures ranging from 700 to 1100 °C for 2 h were investigated. The properties of the sintered product was characterized and analyzed, and the results showed that the main crystalline phases are quartz, cristobalite, hematite, and mullite while the metal oxides are ascribed to copper ferrite spinel (CuFe 2 O 4 ), gahnite (ZnAl 2 O 4 ), zinc ferrite spinel (ZnFe 2 O 4 ), lead feldspar (PbAl 2 Si 2 O 8 ), and cadmium feldspar (CdAl 2 Si 2 O 8 ). Further analysis indicates that the heavy metals were transited into spinel or silicate structures with favorable efficiency. This indicates a good heavy-metal fixation effect from the structural change after the sintering process. Finally, the leaching experiments of the sintered samples suggest that the metal leaching decreased to a low and stable value when the sintering temperature was higher than 950 °C, which meets the China standard (GB 5085.3-2007). The above results indicate that the sintering process facilitates the combination of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd offering an effective and safe method for the application of materials that contain tailings.