Abstract

Alunite is a potential resource for production of alumina and potassium sulfate. Hydrometallurgy is the conventional process employed for this purpose and direct leaching in KOH is suitable as one of the process steps because it does not require prior calcination. In this paper dissolution kinetics of pure natural alunite in KOH is described. Kinetics of dissolution of alunite in potassium hydroxide follows the shrinking core model. The rate of reaction is controlled by surface chemical reaction step and the order of reaction with respect to KOH is 1.327. The activation energy of this reaction was estimated as 94.18kJ/mol andthe following kinetic model for alunite dissolution in potassium hydroxide was obtained: