Abstract

The results of recovery of iron compounds in the mining tailings, located in a wetland of Coquimbo, Chile, are presented. The main elements found are iron 16.34%, aluminum 6.91%, calcium 3.41%, magnesium 1.39 and cobalt with 1.40%. Three chemical and two physical iron separation processes were carried out, the latter, through magnetic separation, obtaining 67.16% of magnetic components, the chemical processes were treating the tailings with 25% hydrochloric acid, removing 41.59% of the tailings material, obtaining a solution rich in iron and this, was subsequently treated with a solution of sodium hydroxide at pH 12, obtaining ferric hydroxide. In the processes it was not possible to selectively separate the iron, but mixtures were obtained that are economically important such as iron, cobalt, aluminum, which can subsequently be separated by traditional means. In addition, a decrease in tailings volume was achieved