Precipitation work

The precipitation method is a metallurgical process for recovering metals from their sulfides . The sulfide is fused with a metal with an affinity for sulfur, such as iron . The iron combines with the sulfur and the other metal is preserved in metallic form. The generalized reaction equation is:

${\displaystyle \mathrm {MeS+Fe\longrightarrow FeS+Me} }$

Using this process, antimony can be obtained from antimonite and bismuth from bismuth (III) sulfide :

${\displaystyle \mathrm {Sb_{2}S_{3}+3\ Fe\longrightarrow 2\ Sb+3\ FeS} }$

${\displaystyle \mathrm {Bi_{2}S_{3}+3\ Fe\longrightarrow 2\ Bi+3\ FeS} }$

Lead luster reacts in a similar way with iron, whereby in addition to iron (II) sulfide the metallic lead is obtained:

${\displaystyle \mathrm {PbS+Fe\longrightarrow FeS+Pb} }$

The iron is used in the form of its oxides or basic slags, from which the metallic iron is created by reduction during the melting process.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ C. Schnabel: Antimony . In: Handbuch der Metallhüttenkunde . Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 1904, ISBN 978-3-642-48537-4 , pp. 564-612.