National University of Science and Technology MISIS (Moscow, Russia)

V. P. Тarasov, Head of the Department of Non-ferrous Metals and Gold, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, vptar@misis.ru
E. S. Gorelikov, Associate Professor of the Department of Non-ferrous Metals and Gold, Candidate of Technical Sciences, gorelikoves@misis.ru
I. М. Кomelin, Leading Researcher of the Department of Non-ferrous Metals and Gold, komelin.im@misis.ru

LLC Unechsky Refractory Metals Plant (Moscow, Russia)

М. А. Shavlokhova, Head of Hydrometallurgy Sector, shavlokhovama@uztm.org

When obtaining pure molybdenum compounds, purification from tungsten impurities causes particular difficulties. In addition, the method based on precipitation of double magnesium-ammonium phosphate does not always provide satisfactory results when purifying sodium molybdate solutions from phosphorus impurities. A method has been tested for purifying a sodium molybdate solution obtained by soda leaching of molybdenum from spent catalysts from phosphorus by co-precipitation of phosphate ions with a mixture of iron (III) and aluminum hydroxides. It has been found that the use of this method reduces the phosphorus concentration in the solution from 0.13 to 0.003 g/l. The sorption method has been chosen to purify the sodium molybdate solution from the tungsten impurity. The strong basic anion exchanger Purolite MTA6002PF and weak basic anion exchangers Lewatit MP62WS with tertiary amino groups and Purolite MTS9841 with polyamine functional groups have been tested. It has been shown that the tested weak basic anion exchangers are significantly superior to the strong basic anion exchanger in terms of selectivity to tungsten. When a sodium molybdate solution is passed through columns filled with Lewatit MP62WS or Purolite MTS9841 anion exchangers, the tungsten content decreases from 0.16 to 0.007 g/l, i.e. by more than 20 times. The use of Lewatit MP62WS or Purolite MTS9841 anion exchangers provides similar results. The amount of molybdenum sorbed together with tungsten on Purolite MTS9841anion exchanger is 3.1 g/l of anion resin, while on Lewatit MP62WS anion exchanger it is 6.2 g/l of anion resin.

The work was carried out as part of the implementation of the Engineering Center Development Program in priority areas of scientific and technological development “NUST MISIS Industrial Technology Engineering Center”. Agreement No. 075-15-2025-570 (IGC 0000000007525RP10002), dated June 23, 2025, on the provision of grants from the federal budget in the form of subsidies in accordance with paragraph 4 of Article 78.1 of the Budget Code of the Russian Federation for updating the material and technical base of organizations performing research and development. 

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