Grant

IRN AP23489340 “Development of a technology for the integrated processing of vanadium-containing quartzites of Karatau with the production of ferroalloys”. Project supervisor – Doctor of Technical Sciences, D.K. Aitkulov.

For the 2025 stage, the following results were obtained: Physical-chemical and mineralogical studies of vanadium-bearing quartzites from the Balasausqandyk deposit were carried out, and the raw materials were prepared for hydrometallurgical processing, including crushing and grinding. The regularities of autoclave ore opening and atmospheric leaching were studied; the influence of temperature-time parameters, pressure, concentration of leaching agents, and the solid-to-liquid ratio on vanadium recovery and filtration characteristics of the pulp were established.

A thermodynamic analysis was performed and probable mechanisms of reactions during electric smelting of sludges from hydrometallurgical processing using carbon- and iron-containing additives, including coal beneficiation waste, were determined. Model calculations were carried out and phase diagrams of Fe–Al–Si and Fe–Al–Si–V alloy systems were constructed.

Effective drying conditions and binders for briquetting sludge wastes were selected; it was established that the use of 50% molasses ensures high mechanical strength of briquettes. Based on laboratory smelting results, optimal parameters for producing ferrosilicon grades FeSi45 and FeSi50 from briquetted sludges were determined, ensuring high silicon recovery and a stable chemical composition of the alloy.

Two articles and two conference papers have been published:

1. A. Badikova, V. Shevko, D. Aitkulov, B. Lavrov. Thermodynamic Study of Obtaining Ferroalloy from a Mixture of Vanadium Quartzites Leaching Cake and Coal Enrichment Tailings // Trans. Indian Inst. Met. (2025) 78:145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12666-025-03612-z
2. A. Badikova, V. Shevko, D. Aitkulov. Thermodynamic model and electric smelting of a mixture of cake from leaching of vanadium-containing quartzites with coal beneficiation tailings // Metall. Res. Technol. 122, 115 (2025). Published by EDP Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1051/metal/2024107
3. A. Badikova, V. Shevko, D. Aitkulov. Structure of silicon carbide and silicon during the interaction of gaseous silicon oxides with carbon // Proceedings of the XII International Conference “Industrial Technologies and Engineering” (ICITE 2025), Volume I, pp. 84–89.
4. Badikova A., Shevko V., Aitkulov D. Diagram of partial pressures of the Si–O–C system considering SiO₂, Si, SiC, SiO and CO // Proceedings of the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Auezov Readings 23”, Shymkent, 2025, Vol. 5, pp. 60–65.