A process for the production of magnesium oxide from serpentine by sulfur dioxide leaching and solvent extraction

The applicability of sulfur dioxide leaching for the recovery of magnesium from either natural or calcined serpentine has been investigated. Factors which influence the magnesium recovery such as time, temperature and particle size have been studied, and the optimum values were determined. It has been suggested that the kinetics of the reaction are controlled by diffusion phenomena. The possibility of recovering pure magnesium sulfite from the leach solutions containing iron, nickel, calcium, etc. using the liquid-liquid extraction technique is indicated.