Modeling the Leaching of Cobalt and Manganese from Submarine Ferromanganese Crusts by Adding Steel Scrap Using Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methodology

Due to the scarcity of high-grade minerals on the Earth’s surface and the ever-increasing demand for critical metals required in the production of clean energy, the search for alternative sources has become essential. Ferromanganese crusts, a mineral resource located in the depths of the ocean, cont...

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Main Authors: Kevin Pérez, Norman Toro, Mauricio Mura, Manuel Saldana, Felipe M. Galleguillos Madrid, Iván Salazar, Francisco Javier González, Egidio Marino, Jonathan Castillo, Ignacio Castillo, Pía C. Hernández
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/3/1155
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author Kevin Pérez
Norman Toro
Mauricio Mura
Manuel Saldana
Felipe M. Galleguillos Madrid
Iván Salazar
Francisco Javier González
Egidio Marino
Jonathan Castillo
Ignacio Castillo
Pía C. Hernández
author_facet Kevin Pérez
Norman Toro
Mauricio Mura
Manuel Saldana
Felipe M. Galleguillos Madrid
Iván Salazar
Francisco Javier González
Egidio Marino
Jonathan Castillo
Ignacio Castillo
Pía C. Hernández
author_sort Kevin Pérez
collection DOAJ
description Due to the scarcity of high-grade minerals on the Earth’s surface and the ever-increasing demand for critical metals required in the production of clean energy, the search for alternative sources has become essential. Ferromanganese crusts, a mineral resource located in the depths of the ocean, contain high concentrations of valuable metals, particularly cobalt (Co) and manganese (Mn). A leaching process using sulfuric acid, with the addition of steel scrap, has been proposed for processing this resource. The study investigated the extraction of manganese (Mn) and cobalt (Co) under acidic conditions at 25 °C, employing a factorial experimental analysis. Statistical models were adjusted using response surface methodology to evaluate the effects of time and the ferromanganese crust/Fe(res) (iron residue) ratio as predictive variables. The results demonstrated that the extraction of Mn and Co could be effectively modeled through multiple regression, with strong goodness-of-fit indicators. Optimal extraction was achieved at extended durations (30 min) and lower ferromanganese crust/Fe(res) ratios (1/3) for the sampled values. Gradient analysis revealed that extraction efficiency was directly proportional to time and inversely proportional to the ferromanganese crust/Fe(res) ratio, except in the case of Co extraction at higher durations and lower ratio levels. Additionally, no precipitation of Mn or Co species was observed in the analyzed residues.
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spelling doaj-art-3d3f9e08659f4b5f9e979dd17e6c2a8d2025-08-20T02:48:01ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-01-01153115510.3390/app15031155Modeling the Leaching of Cobalt and Manganese from Submarine Ferromanganese Crusts by Adding Steel Scrap Using Design of Experiments and Response Surface MethodologyKevin Pérez0Norman Toro1Mauricio Mura2Manuel Saldana3Felipe M. Galleguillos Madrid4Iván Salazar5Francisco Javier González6Egidio Marino7Jonathan Castillo8Ignacio Castillo9Pía C. Hernández10Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Procesos de Minerales, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1240000, ChileFaculty of Engineering and Architecture, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique 1110939, ChileFaculty of Engineering and Architecture, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique 1110939, ChileFaculty of Engineering and Architecture, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique 1110939, ChileCentro de Desarrollo Energético Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1240000, ChileDepartamento de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1270709, ChileInstituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME-CSIC), Ríos Rosas, 23, 28003 Madrid, SpainInstituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME-CSIC), Ríos Rosas, 23, 28003 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Ingeniería en Metalurgia, Universidad de Atacama, Copiapó 1531772, ChileFaculty of Engineering and Architecture, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique 1110939, ChileDepartamento de Ingeniería Química y Procesos de Minerales, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1240000, ChileDue to the scarcity of high-grade minerals on the Earth’s surface and the ever-increasing demand for critical metals required in the production of clean energy, the search for alternative sources has become essential. Ferromanganese crusts, a mineral resource located in the depths of the ocean, contain high concentrations of valuable metals, particularly cobalt (Co) and manganese (Mn). A leaching process using sulfuric acid, with the addition of steel scrap, has been proposed for processing this resource. The study investigated the extraction of manganese (Mn) and cobalt (Co) under acidic conditions at 25 °C, employing a factorial experimental analysis. Statistical models were adjusted using response surface methodology to evaluate the effects of time and the ferromanganese crust/Fe(res) (iron residue) ratio as predictive variables. The results demonstrated that the extraction of Mn and Co could be effectively modeled through multiple regression, with strong goodness-of-fit indicators. Optimal extraction was achieved at extended durations (30 min) and lower ferromanganese crust/Fe(res) ratios (1/3) for the sampled values. Gradient analysis revealed that extraction efficiency was directly proportional to time and inversely proportional to the ferromanganese crust/Fe(res) ratio, except in the case of Co extraction at higher durations and lower ratio levels. Additionally, no precipitation of Mn or Co species was observed in the analyzed residues.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/3/1155leachingdeep-sea miningoptimizationcrusts
spellingShingle Kevin Pérez
Norman Toro
Mauricio Mura
Manuel Saldana
Felipe M. Galleguillos Madrid
Iván Salazar
Francisco Javier González
Egidio Marino
Jonathan Castillo
Ignacio Castillo
Pía C. Hernández
Modeling the Leaching of Cobalt and Manganese from Submarine Ferromanganese Crusts by Adding Steel Scrap Using Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methodology
Applied Sciences
leaching
deep-sea mining
optimization
crusts
title Modeling the Leaching of Cobalt and Manganese from Submarine Ferromanganese Crusts by Adding Steel Scrap Using Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methodology
title_full Modeling the Leaching of Cobalt and Manganese from Submarine Ferromanganese Crusts by Adding Steel Scrap Using Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methodology
title_fullStr Modeling the Leaching of Cobalt and Manganese from Submarine Ferromanganese Crusts by Adding Steel Scrap Using Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methodology
title_full_unstemmed Modeling the Leaching of Cobalt and Manganese from Submarine Ferromanganese Crusts by Adding Steel Scrap Using Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methodology
title_short Modeling the Leaching of Cobalt and Manganese from Submarine Ferromanganese Crusts by Adding Steel Scrap Using Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methodology
title_sort modeling the leaching of cobalt and manganese from submarine ferromanganese crusts by adding steel scrap using design of experiments and response surface methodology
topic leaching
deep-sea mining
optimization
crusts
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/3/1155
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