AP13268858 “Research on the technology for producing microdispersed high-purity silicon oxide and metallurgical silicon from asbestos production waste”
The goal of this project is to develop an effective technology for processing asbestos production waste with the subsequent production of microdispersed silicon oxide and metallurgical silicon. It is also planned to test the developed technology on an enlarged laboratory scale to clarify its effectiveness and scalability.
Relevance: Over the past 55 years , Kostanay Minerals JSC has accumulated more than 300 million tons of asbestos production waste. When chrysotile asbestos ore is processed, only a small portion, namely 5-8%, is recovered into commercial products, while the remaining over 90% of the raw material is disposed of in landfills . Processing this huge volume of waste as metallurgical raw materials not only helps expand the country's raw material base, but also helps improve the environmental condition of the region.
Of note is the fact that these wastes are on the surface and ready to be processed , making them suitable for use using low-cost technologies. In this regard, the processing of large-scale waste from chrysotile asbestos production ensures economic profitability and offers a solution to social and environmental problems. Silicon dioxide and metallurgical silicon are widely used in many industries, including electronics, glass, metallurgy and pharmaceuticals. Therefore, ensuring a reliable source of raw materials for the production of these critical products is of utmost importance.
Scientific adviser: PhD , professor, Baygenzhenov Omirserik Sabyrzhanovich
Quantitative and qualitative composition of project performers: 2 performers, consisting of: 2 PhD , 2 assoc. Professor.
Results: The main two stages of the project were successfully completed. The first stage included the development of hydrometallurgical technology for the leaching process of initial asbestos waste. The second step was to obtain pure silica from the insoluble residue of the leaching process. Physicochemical analyzes of the resulting silicon dioxide were carried out, which confirmed its very high degree of purity - 99.9%. The effectiveness of the developed technology, which includes acid leaching and gravity enrichment, has also been confirmed.
Implementation period: 2022 -202 4 years.