Extraction of Zr and Hf from sodium zirconate using anion exchange process in sulfuric acid conditions

Production of zirconium sulfate for anion exchanger feed has been done in this work. This research aims are to determine the characteristic of zirconium sulfate product and its optimal feed conditions. The production of zirconium sulfate was carried out by leaching of sodium zirconate using HCl 8 M. The results were ZrOCl2 crystals. The crystals then dissolved in mineral-free water until the solution saturated. Saturated ZrOCl2 solution has density of 1.2985 g/ml with zirconium concentration is 232.68 g/l. Saturated solution then reacted with sulfuric acid 6 M to form zirconium sulfate (white colored sediment). XRD and FTIR analysis results show that the zirconium sulfate product were similar to the zirconium sulfate standard (BDH). Zirconium sulfate products were used as feed for the anion exchanger by dissolving zirconium sulfate in sulfuric acid. Optimal concentration of zirconium in the feed solution is 41.2445 g/l with Hafnium concentration is 6.587 g/l. Adsorption process in anion exchanger reaches its optimal condition when Zirconium Sulfate was dissolved in sulfuric acid with a concentration of 4.2 M and feed acidity at pH 1.3.