Mercury Production
Mercury Production
Mercury ore processing includes oxidizing roasting of cinnabar:
HgS + O2 = Hg + SO2.
Roast gas pass through dust chamber and enter the tubular cooler made of stainless steel or Monel metal. Liquid mercury drips into iron receivers. It is refined as the liquid mercury thread flows through the 1-1.5 m tall tower with 10% HNO3, flush with water, dried up and sublimated in vacuum.
Hydrometallurgical extraction of mercury from ores and concentrates is also possible. The process includes HgS dissolving in sodium sulphite following with mercury substitution by aluminium. Methods of mercury production by sulphide solutions electrolysis are also worked out.