Vanadium is a key critical metal with many applications in the steel and chemical industry. Slags issued from the metallurgical processing of Pb-Zn vanadate ores at Berg Aukas (Namibia) and Kabwe (Zambia) exhibit interestingly high concentrations of V (up to 6140 ppm) and can be considered potential sources of this metal. Two papers published recently by our research group focused on geochemistry and mineralogy of these slags combined with laboratory simulation of the hydrometallurgical extractive processes in view of potential V recovery. The results indicate that, despite high V bulk concentrations and extractabilities, its recovery seems to be non-economical, mainly due to low prices of V (and other associated valuable elements such as Zn) on the global market.

Ettler V., Mihaljevič M., Jarošíková A., Culka A., Kříbek B., Majer V., Vaněk A., Penížek V., Sracek O., Mapani B., Kamona F. (2020): Vanadium-rich slags from the historical processing of Zn-Pb-V ores at Berg Aukas (Namibia): Mineralogy and environmental stability. Applied Geochemistry 114, 104473. (DOI)

Ettler V., Jarošíková A., Mihaljevič M., Kříbek B., Nyambe I., Kamona F., Mapani B. (2020): Vanadium in slags from smelting of African Pb-Zn vanadate ores: Mineralogy, extractability and potential recovery. Journal of Geochemical Exploration 218, 106631. (DOI)