Sustainable valorization of syenite: Atmospheric-pressure leaching for selective aluminum and potassium recovery

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Atmospheric-pressure sulfuric acid leaching combined with ammoniacal precipitation enables the simultaneous and selective recovery of aluminum and potassium from syenite without prior structural activation, driven by the preferential dissolution of kalsilite over microcline. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.METHODOLOGICAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Achraf Harrou; Amine El Messbahi; Marouen Jouini; Otmane Raji; Mostafa Benzaazoua; Abdellatif Elghali

doi:10.1016/j.mineng.2026.110865

September 11, 2026Minerals EngineeringOpen Access

Sustainable valorization of syenite: Atmospheric-pressure leaching for selective aluminum and potassium recovery

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Key Points

Develop an integrated, atmospheric-pressure hydrometallurgical process to selectively extract and recover aluminum and potassium from syenite without prior thermal or mechanical activation.
Optimized sulfuric acid leaching conditions (12 M H2SO4, 80 °C, liquid-to-solid ratio of 7.5 mL g−1, 0.5 h) using a multivariable screening experimental design.
Characterized solid mineral phases and dissolution pathways using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and automated mineralogy (TIMA).
Benchmarked four precipitation strategies for Al/Fe separation and potassium retention, followed by thermogravimetrically guided calcination up to 1000 °C.
Optimized leaching achieved extraction efficiencies of 40.22% for aluminum and 34.33% for potassium, exhibiting a dissolution selectivity order of kalsilite > hematite/magnetite ≫ microcline > quartz.
Two-step ammoniacal precipitation at pH 7.2 removed 99.79% of aluminum and 99.95% of iron while selectively retaining potassium ions in solution.
Controlled calcination at 1000 °C transformed the aluminum precipitate into a mixed γ/α-Al2O3 product (~81 wt% Al2O3) alongside liquid fertilizer precursors and slow-release agronomic residues.

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Implication

Experimental study demonstrates selective aluminum and potassium extraction from syenite via atmospheric leaching, highlighting an activation-free route for valorizing non-bauxitic minerals.

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Harrou et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa7b2530926e14a848b0b70 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2026.110865

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Sustainable valorization of syenite: Atmospheric-pressure leaching for selective aluminum and potassium recovery

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Sustainable valorization of syenite: Atmospheric-pressure leaching for selective aluminum and potassium recovery

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