(96b) Study of Extraction of Molybdenum from Its Concentrates

The overall goal of this research project was to determine the optimal method for extracting a molybdenum containing substance in its pure state, possibly in solution, from its concentrates which come from the copper-molybdenum mine in Mongolia Erdenet and to analyze the end product to ensure that it was in fact a pure substance that had been extracted. We were able to show that the optimal procedure for extracting the molybdenum from its concentrates curtailed the activation of the sample by use of a vibratory mill before using an ammonium hydroxide solvent to dissolve the sample which allowed us to extract 43.0% of the molybdenum that was available. We were also successful in precipitating and in isolating many different molybdenum containing compounds from the extraction solutions. We also optimized an extraction procedure which did not use an activation process. This procedure used a sodium carbonate solvent to dissolve the sample and allowed us to extract 41.0% of the available molybdenum while also being able to crystallize molybdenum containing compounds from the extraction solution.