Acid Leaching for Metallic Impurities Evaluation of Some Mineral Ores in Nigeria

There is every need to access the impurity ratio of mineral ores in order to furnish investors and industrialists with information required to weigh the gains of venturing into their exploration. This study focuses on the evaluation of metallic impurities in various mineral ores, specifically Zinc, Iron, Copper, Lead, and Gypsum, sourced from the National Geological Survey in Kaduna, Nigeria. The ore samples were ground and digested with aqua regia solution to extract their metallic constituents, utilizing standard methodologies. The determination of the main metallic components, such as Zn, Fe, Cu, Pb, and Ca, was conducted using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Biotech FAAS Phoenix 986). The results indicated that Galena (Lead ore) exhibited the highest metallic impurity content at approximately 28.64%, followed by Sphalerite with 6.31%. Other ores showed metallic impurities less than 5%. Particularly, Chalcocite displayed a significant copper content of 97.7%, while impurities followed a specific trend. The findings suggest that while most ores contain high levels of their principal metallic constituents, Galena stands out due to its elevated impurity levels. Thus, these ores have the potential to serve as effective feedstock for extracting valuable components.