Abstract:Anodic behaviour of galena in ammonium carbonate solution and products of anodic reaction resulting in passivation have been studied by electrochemical technologies including rotating ringdisc electrode etc. and physical detects. The effects of impurities in galena such as pyrite, pyrrhotite on converting galena to lead carbonate have been explained. The conversion rate can be accelerated by addition of some cupric ions to the ammonium carbonate solution and can be expressed by a = Klogt + B.The optimum reactor suitable for the conversion is a propeller agitation reactor without baffles, which has been proved in enlarged experiments with the reactor charged 50 kg ore.

Key words: galena; carbonate; reactor