From waste to resource: leaching metals from flotation tailings at the “Rudnik” mine for sustainable development
Conference Object Restricted access M33
2025
Bogdanović, Grozdanka 
Radulović, Dragan
Marilović, Dragana
Stojanović, Jovica
Petrović, Sanja J.
Simić, Vladimir
The Academy of Applied Studies Polytechnic, Belgrade
Conference Proceedings [Elektronski izvor] - International Scientific and Professional Conference Politehnika 2025, Belgrade, 28th November 2025
103
106
English
M33 - Conference paper at an international conference, printed in full
Modern industries engaged in the design and development of high-technology products are highly dependent on the availability of critical materials. Due to the increasingly rapid depletion of primary raw materials, there is growing interest in processing secondary raw materials, such as mining waste and flotation tailings. In this study, leaching experiments were conducted on a sample of flotation tailings from the Rudnik mine (Serbia) containing copper (0.081%), lead (0.132%), zinc (0.510%) and iron (6.88%). The influence of hydrogen peroxide concentration in sulfuric acid solution on metal leaching was examined. It was established that in the system of sulfuric acid (1 mol/dm³ H2SO4) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 1–3 mol/dm³), the highest leaching of metals was achieved at the lowest concentration of hydrogen peroxide over 120 minutes, amounting to 81.97% Cu, 48.84% Fe, and 45.58% Pb. Increasing the concentration of hydrogen peroxide (1–3 mol/dm³) leads to a decrease in the degree of leaching of the tested metals, except for Zn. The highest zinc extraction was 97.72% (2.0 mol/dm³ H2O2). The obtained leaching values are higher compared to leaching flotation tailings with sulfuric acid solution.
Flotation Tailings, Leaching, Sulfuric Acid, Hydrogen Peroxide
ISBN
978-86-7498-146-7