Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans-硫酸酸溶联合浸出金川铜镍硫化矿尾矿砂实验研究

金川铜镍硫化矿尾矿砂富含Cu、Ni和Co等金属,为对其进行回收,对新尾矿库不同深度的尾矿砂分别进行了直接硫酸酸溶浸出与A.f.-硫酸酸溶联合浸出实验,利用ICP-AES分析了不同阶段浸出液中Cu2+、Ni2+、Co2+含量。实验结果表明,A.f.-硫酸酸溶联合浸出工艺对尾矿砂中有价金属Cu、Ni和Co的浸出效果优于单独酸溶浸出工艺。其中,A.f.-硫酸酸溶联合浸出法对1m深度的尾矿砂中Cu、Ni、Co的浸出率最高,分别达到95.78%、98.01%和75.13%,而单独硫酸酸溶作用的离子浸出率分别为75.69%、74.33%和42.33%。     

氧化亚铁硫杆菌促进金川铜镍硫化矿尾矿砂提取有价金属实验研究

金川铜镍硫化矿尾矿砂数量巨大,其中Ni、Cu和Co等有价金属种类较多,含量较为丰富,蕴含着巨大的经济价值。本文研究了氧化亚铁硫杆菌对金川铜镍尾矿砂提取有价金属效果的影响,在选取金川新尾矿库中心钻孔尾矿砂样品与氧化亚铁硫杆菌作用不同时间的基础上进行化学酸溶,利用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱仪(ICP-AES)分析了溶液中Cu²⁺、Ni²⁺、Co²⁺含量,并通过离子浸出率来表征微生物对尾矿中有价金属提取的影响效果。结果表明,尾矿砂直接化学酸溶后Cu²⁺、Ni²⁺浸出率分别为73.78%和69.87%,Co²⁺浸出率仅为39.57%;而氧化亚铁硫杆菌先与尾矿砂作用后再进行硫酸酸溶,其Cu²⁺、Ni²⁺总浸出率均可达到90%以上,Co²⁺总浸出率也可达到70%以上。实验结果证明氧化亚铁硫杆菌的参与促进了尾矿砂中Cu²⁺、Ni²⁺、Co²⁺的浸出。     

金川镍矿尾矿砂矿物组成特征与酸溶特性研究

金属矿山生产产生大量的尾矿,不但危害周围生态环境,而且对资源造成极大浪费。金川镍矿尾矿砂Ni、Cu和Co的平均含量分别达到0.21%、0.19%和0.01%,是够得上二次开发利用的宝贵资源。文中对金川镍矿尾矿砂矿物组成特征及酸溶特性进行了详细的研究,目的是为工业化高效回收尾矿砂中Ni、Cu和Co等有价金属提供科学依据与技术支撑。矿物学研究表明,金川镍矿尾矿砂主要由蛇纹石、绿泥石、橄榄石、辉石、透闪石、磁铁矿、白云石及少量磁黄铁矿、镍黄铁矿和黄铜矿等组成。经多年露天堆存,金川镍矿老尾矿库尾矿砂已发生不同程度的氧化作用。尾矿库3 m以上为强烈氧化带,金属硫化物矿物颗粒边缘、裂缝处基本都有强烈的氧化作用发生。碳酸盐等易溶矿物被大量消耗。硫酸溶解实验表明,金川镍矿老尾矿库尾矿砂中有价金属Cu、Ni和Co的平均浸出率分别可达88.6%、75.3% 和70.8%。尾矿砂中Cu、Ni和Co有价金属的浸出效果不但清楚直观地反映了尾矿库中尾矿砂的氧化程度,而且表明金属硫化物尾矿砂的风化作用,极大地促进了硫化物矿物中有价金属的酸溶浸出。     

深海多金属结核分布与有价元素提取工艺进展

深海多金属结核主要分布在CP区和CC区等不同海域,表层沉积物均以硅质粘土为主,CP区多金属结核丰度一般大于15 kg/m~2,Cu+Co+Ni品位较低,一般小于1.8%;CC区区内丰度大于5 kg/m~2的占45%,主要集中在本区的中部和南部,其对应的品位高于2.5%,基本呈纬向带状分布。外部结核层、内部结核层与核心层w(Fe_2O_3)、w(MnO)分别为9.4%～12.8%、39.7%～46.5%,不同结核层中钠水锰矿、钡镁锰矿、δ-Mn_2等主要矿物的XRD衍射峰强度呈现一定差异。外部结核层较薄,内部结核层较厚表面布满规则裂纹,核心层至少具有一个形核核心。多金属结核中所含金属元素种类丰富、多矿物紧密混杂,难以提取其中的Mn、Fe、Cu、Co和Ni等有价金属元素。火法冶炼有熔炼法与直接还原法,其产品一般为富锰渣与合金,酸/碱法浸出可得到Mn、Fe、Cu、Co和Ni等的金属,其浸出率基本能达到85%以上,甚至可以达到95%以上。生物法可通过微生物浸出多金属结核的Mn、Fe、Cu、Co和Ni等元素。此外,熔炼-锈蚀法、电解法等处理多金属结核同样效果显著。     

金川镍矿尾矿砂中Ni和Cu赋存状态研究

金川镍矿浮选尾矿数量巨大,含有相当可观的有价金属,其中有价金属的回收受到越来越多的关注。金川老尾矿库尾矿砂中Ni和Cu赋存状态复杂,水溶性矿物态、可交换离子态、碳酸盐态、结晶度较差的Fe氧化物态、结晶度较好的Fe氧化物态、硫化物态和残渣态中都含有数量不等的有价金属Ni和Cu;尾矿砂风化作用释放的金属阳离子大多数在发生氧化的硫化物位置原位发生水解沉淀形成次生矿物,有价金属Ni和Cu在尾矿库中没有发生明显的富集。金川镍矿尾矿砂中Ni和Cu适于用化学酸溶浸出的方法进行二次回收。     

冀北张家口地区汉诺坝玄武岩中麻粒岩捕虏体的硫化物相

捕虏体麻粒岩是了解下地壳形成和演化的重要样品。汉诺坝新生代玄武岩中的二辉麻粒岩捕虏体样品中富含各种硫化物相,主要类型有:①孤立产出的球状出溶硫化物;②矿物颗粒之间或颗粒内的粗晶硫化物;③次生硫化物包裹体群;④裂隙充填硫化物。电子探针分析表明,硫化物的矿物成分均为贫镍磁黄铁矿,(Ni+Co+Cu)/Fe(原子比)远小于0.2;(Fe+Cu+Co+Ni)/S(原子比)比地幔岩的磁黄铁矿小,多小于0.875,反映了一种S过饱和环境。各种产状的磁黄铁矿中Au、Ag都有一定的含量,其平均值分别为0.19%～0.22%(Au)、0.01%～0.02%(Ag),反映下地壳的麻粒岩化与金矿化的成因联系。磁黄铁矿的Ni、Co、Cu含量与S正相关,说明微量重金属元素与S具有同源的关系,由于地幔去气伴随S而进入下地壳。     

硫化铜矿细菌浸出与晶体结构对比研究

为了研究矿物晶体结构对铜硫化物矿物细菌浸出的影响,进行了硫化铜矿细菌浸出试验,并分析比较了原子键长、晶面间距和键级等参数对铜硫化物矿物微生物浸出的影响。试验结果表明,浸出48天后,久辉铜矿、斑铜矿、铜蓝、黄铜矿中铜浸出率分别是95.12%、84.5%、54.1%和18.33%,不同铜硫化物矿物的细菌浸出规律为:久辉铜矿斑铜矿铜蓝黄铜矿。晶体结构相关参数对比研究表明,久辉铜矿键长最长、晶面间距较大、键级低,故久辉铜矿的键强最弱,容易被细菌氧化浸出。晶体结构是决定不同铜硫化物矿物细菌浸出效率差异的关键因素。     

施氏矿物吸附Cu2+及氧化亚铁硫杆菌的实验研究

在金属硫化物的表生氧化过程中,施氏矿物是最常见的一种次生矿物.施氏矿物具有粒度小、比表面积大、表面吸附能高的特点,能够吸附环境流体中的重金属离子和微生物细胞,从而影响重金属元素及微生物的表生地球化学行为.利用化学合成的施氏矿物,开展了施氏矿物吸附Cu2+及氧化亚铁硫杆菌的实验.结果显示:施氏矿物对金属Cu2+及氧化亚铁硫杆菌均有较强的吸附性;施氏矿物对Cu2+的吸附基本符合Langmuir吸附模型,而对氧化亚铁硫的吸附行为不符合Langmuir模型,可用Freundlich模型描述;施氏矿物的存在对流体中微生物的活动性及其地球化学行为有重要影响,可能会降低氧化菌分解金属硫化物的效率.     

云浮黄铁矿利用过程中微量毒害元素的环境化学活动性

为了解云浮黄铁矿利用过程中微量毒害元素的环境地球化学行为，客观评价它们对环境质量的影响，利用元素结合形态的连续提取实验方法，分析了云浮黄铁矿及其工业废渣中Co,Ni,Cu,Zn,As,Se,Cd,Sn,Sb,Pb和Tl等11种毒害元素的形态及化学活动性。结果表明，黄铁矿中大部分微量毒害元素都有着极强的化学活动性，各元素活动态浸出比例依次为Co96.3%,Se91.9%,Cu90.3%,Cd90.0%,Pb89.7%,Zn88.6%,Sb82.5%,Ni80.6%，Sn70%,Tl55.1%和As31.9％，元素As和Tl主要赋存于硫化物和硅酸盐矿物相中，另有少量的Cu,Pb和Sb可能赋存于碳酸盐矿物相中，其他元素则主要赋存于硫化物矿物相中。与黄铁矿相比，飞灰和灰渣中各元素可交换态和碳酸盐结合态所占的比例明显减少。废渣中各元素的化学活动性表现出很大的差别，其中Cu,Zn和Cd的化学活动性最强，活性态浸出比例在90％以上；其次是Co,Ni,Se,Pb和Tl，浸出比例在50％左右；Sb,As和Sn的稳定性较高，浸出比例分别为1％、5％和14％左右；飞灰中微量毒害元素的活动性均高于灰渣。     

金川岩浆铜镍硫化物矿床中的镍钴分布规律及其控制因素

幔源岩浆形成与演化过程中镍(Ni)、钴(Co)具有相似的地球化学行为。金川岩浆铜镍硫化物矿床以Ni、铜(Cu)为主要矿种,Co为伴生,Ni、Co在金川矿床中的空间分布规律同步变化,然而其Ni/Co比值(36.7)远高于地幔值(18.2)。这表明在金川矿床形成过程中Ni-Co发生了共生分离,但Ni-Co分布特征尚不清楚、其控制因素尚不明确。本文对该矿床中主要矿石矿物的Ni、Co含量及分布进行了系统总结,并与脉石矿物进行对比。结果表明矿石矿物镍黄铁矿是最重要的含Ni、Co矿物相,其Ni、Co含量均远高于磁黄铁矿、黄铜矿及脉石矿物。对于脉石矿物,Ni在橄榄石、磁铁矿、铬铁矿内的含量依次降低,在斜方辉石与单斜辉石中含量最低。Co则在铬铁矿、橄榄石内含量依次降低,在斜方辉石、单斜辉石、磁铁矿中含量最低。在硫化物熔离过程中,Ni在硫化物熔体内相容性更强,更加倾向于进入硫化物熔体,使Ni显著富集于硫化物熔体内,而Co则相对富集于硅酸盐熔体内,由此导致Ni-Co解耦。硫化物冷却结晶过程中,Ni、Co倾向于进入最早结晶的单硫化物固溶体(MSS),并在随后分解作用中集中进入镍黄铁矿内,使镍黄铁矿成为金川矿...     

Nature of Co-bearing ferromanganese crusts of the Magellan Seamounts (Pacific Ocean): Communication 2. Ion exchange properties of ore minerals

The results of experimental studies of ion exchange properties of Co-bearing ferromanganese crusts in the Magellan Seamounts (Pacific Ocean) are discussed. Maximum reactivity in reactions with the participation of manganese minerals (Fe-vernadite, vernadite) is typical of Na⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺ cations, whereas minimum activity is recorded for cations Pb²⁺ and Co²⁺. The exchange complex of ore minerals in crusts is composed of Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Mn²⁺ cations. The exchange capacity of manganese minerals increases from the alkali metal cations to rare and heavy metal cations. Peculiarities of the affiliation of Co²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Mg²⁺ cations in manganese minerals of crusts are discussed. In manganese minerals, Co occurs as Co²⁺ and Co³⁺ cations. Metal cations in manganese minerals occur in different chemical forms: sorbed (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Pb²⁺); sorbed and chemically bound (Mg²⁺, Ni²⁺, Y³⁺, La³⁺, and Mo⁶⁺); and only chemically bound (Co³⁺). It is shown that the age of crust, its preservation time in the air-dry state, and type of host substrate do not affect the ion exchange indicators of manganese minerals. It has been established that alkali metal cations are characterized by completely reversible equivalent sorption, whereas heavy metal cations are sorbed by a complex mechanism: equivalent ion exchange for all metal cations; superequivalent, partly reversible sorption for Ba²⁺, Pb²⁺, Co²⁺, and Cu²⁺ cations, relative to exchange cations of manganese minerals. The obtained results refine the role of ion exchange processes during the hydrogenic formation of Co-bearing ferromanganese crusts.     

Removal of heavy metal ions from drinking water by alginate-immobilised <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlorella sorokiniana</Emphasis>

This paper investigates the potential of alginate-immobilised Chlorella sorokiniana for removing Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Cd²⁺ ions from drinking water solutions. The effects of initial metal concentrations, contact times and temperatures on the biosorptions and removal efficiencies of the tested metals were investigated at initial pH values of 5, and pH effects were studied within the range of 3–7. When studying the effects of initial metal concentrations, the highest experimental removal yields achieved for Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Cd²⁺ ions were 97.10, 50.94 and 64.61 %, respectively. The maximum biosorption capacities obtained by the Langmuir isotherm model for the biosorptions of Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Cd²⁺ ions by alginate-immobilised C. sorokiniana were found to be 179.90, 86.49 and 164.50 mg/g biosorbent, respectively. The experimental data followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. At an initial metal concentration of 25 mg/L, immobilised algae could be used in at least 5 successive biosorption–desorption cycles. SEM and EDS analyses revealed that the metals bonded to the biosorbent. Bi- and multi-metal systems of Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Cd²⁺ were investigated at initial metal concentrations of 30, 50 and 100 mg/L. The removal of Cd²⁺ as well as Ni²⁺ in such systems was negatively affected by the presence of Cu²⁺. The removal efficiency for Cu²⁺ in multi-metal systems decreased by 5–7 %, whilst in the cases of Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺ the efficiencies decreased by up to 30 %. Nevertheless, the results obtained show that alginate-immobilised C. sorokiniana can efficiently remove the metals tested from polluted drinking water sources.     

Cation substitution in synthetic meridianiite (MgSO4·11H2O) II: variation in unit-cell parameters determined from X-ray powder diffraction data

We have prepared aqueous MgSO₄ solutions doped with various divalent metal cations (Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺, and Co²⁺) in proportions up to and including the pure end-members. These liquids have been solidified into fine-grained polycrystalline blocks of metal sulfate hydrate + ice by rapid quenching in liquid nitrogen. In a companion paper (Fortes et al., in Phys Chem Min 39) we reported the identification of various phases using X-ray powder diffraction, including meridianiite-structured undecahydrates, melanterite- and epsomite-structured heptahydrates, novel enneahydrates and a new octahydrate. In this work we report the changes in unit-cell parameters of these crystalline products where they exist over sufficient dopant concentrations. We find that there is a linear relationship between the rate of change in unit-cell volume as a function of dopant concentration and the ionic radius of the dopant cation; large ions such as Mn²⁺ produce a substantial inflation of the hydrates’ unit-cell volume, whereas smaller ions such as Ni²⁺ produce a modest reduction in unit-cell volume. Indeed, when the data for all hydrates are normalised (i.e., divided by the number of formula units per unit-cell, Z, and the hydration number, n), we find a quantitatively similar relationship for different values of n. Conversely, there is no relationship between the degree of unit-cell inflation or deflation and the limit to which a given cation will substitute into a certain hydrate structure; for example, Co²⁺ and Zn²⁺ affect the unit-cell volume of MgSO₄·11H₂O to a very similar degree, yet the solubility limits inferred in our companion paper are >60 mol. % Co²⁺ and <30 mol. % Zn²⁺.     

Ion exchange properties of manganese and iron minerals in oceanic micronodules

The results of experimental studies of ion exchange properties of manganese and iron minerals in micronodules (MN) from diverse bioproductive zones of the World Ocean are considered. It was found that the sorption behavior of these minerals is similar to that of ore minerals from ferromanganese nodules (FMN) and low-temperature hydrothermal crusts. The exchange complex of minerals in the MN includes the major (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Mn²⁺) and the subordinate (Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Pb²⁺, and others) cations. Reactivity of theses cations increases from Pb²⁺ and Co²⁺ to Na⁺ and Ca²⁺. Exchange capacity of MN minerals increases from the alkali to heavy metal cations. Capacity of iron and manganese minerals in the oceanic MN increases in the following series: goethite < goethite + birnessite < todorokite + asbolane-buserite + birnessite < asbolane-buserite + birnessite < birnessite + asbolane-buserite < birnessite + vernadite Fe-vernadite + Mn-feroxyhyte. The data obtained supplement the available information on the ion exchange properties of oceanic ferromanganese sediments and refine the role of sorption processes in the redistribution of metal cations at the bottom (ooze) water-sediment interface during the MN formation and growth.     

Biosorption of trace metals from aqueous multimetal solutions by green microalgae

Two strains of green microalgae C.reinhardti and C.pyrenoidosa were examined for their biosorption of Mn2+,Fe2+,Co2+,Ni2+,Cu2+,Zn2+,and Cd2+from aqueous multi-metal solutions.A wide range of biosorption capacities can be observed due to different strains of microalgae and different species of trace metals.This characteristic was ascribed to the distinct components and structures of algal cell walls and the different physicochemical properties of trace metals,such as atomic weight and ion density.C.pyrenoidosa showed higher uptake capacities than C.reinhardti and both of them had a preference for the uptake of cadmium over others in the trace metal solution,suggesting they can be a good biomaterial for biosorption of cadmium.Live microalgal cells displayed a more complex sorption process than dead microalgal cells because of cell assimilation.     

Trace metal–humate interactions. I. Experimental determination of conditional stability constants

The enhancement of mobility of radionuclides in the geosphere through complexation by humic substances is a source of uncertainty in performance assessment of radioactive waste repositories. Only very few data sets are available which are relevant for performance assessment of an underground repository for radioactive waste. Using the equilibrium dialysis-ligand exchange method developed at the Paul Scherrer Institut, conditional stability constants for the formation of complexes of Aldrich humic acid with Ca²⁺, NpO₂⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, UO₂²⁺ and Eu³⁺ and complexes of Laurentian soil- and Suwannee River fulvic acid with Co²⁺, UO₂²⁺ and Eu³⁺ were measured. pH was varied between 5 and 10 and ionic strength between 0.02 and 0.2 M. The data are presented as equilibrium coefficients that are free from any model assumptions. The equilibrium coefficients increased in the order Ca²⁺≅NpO₂⁺<Co²⁺< Ni²⁺<UO₂²⁺< Eu³⁺. The quality of the data is assessed in an extended discussion of statistical and systematical errors, and by a critical ‘rereview’ of the auxiliary stability constants used for the calculation of the equilibrium coefficients. An approximate overall uncertainty of 0.5 log-units is estimated for the stability data reported. The conditional stability constants were found to increase markedly with increasing pH in the case of Co²⁺, UO₂²⁺ and Eu³⁺. For Ni²⁺, Ca²⁺ and NpO₂⁺ this effect was less pronounced. For all metal ions tested, the influence of ionic strength was of less importance, and the conditional stability constants did not show a significant dependence on the type of humic substances investigated.     

Experimental Study on Surface Reactions of Heavy Metal Ions With Quartz—Aqueous Ion Concentration Dependence

Adsorption of divalent metal ions, including Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺, on quartz surface was measured as a function of metal ion concentration at 30°C under conditions of solution pH= 6. 5 and ion strength I = 0. 1mol/L. Results of the experimental measurements can be described very well by adsorption isotherm equations of Freudlich. The correlation coefficients (r) of adsorption isotherm lines are > 0. 96. Moreover, the experimental data were interpreted on the basis of surface complexation model. The experimental results showed that the monodentate-coordinated metal ion surface complex species (SOM⁺) are predominant over the bidentate-coordinated metal ion surface complex species [(SO)₂M] formed only by the ions Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Ni²⁺. And the relevant apparent surface complexation constants are lgK_M = 2.2–3.3 in order of K_Cd≥K_Pb > K_Zn > K_Ni≥K_Cu, and lgβ_M = 5.9-6.8 in order of β_Ni > β_Zn > β_Cu. Therefore, the reactive ability of the ions onto mineral surface of quartz follows the order of Cd > Pb > Zn > Ni> Cu under the above-mentioned solution conditions. The apparent surface complexation constants, influenced by the surface potential, surface species and hydrolysis of metal ions, depend mainly on the Born solvation coefficient of the metal ions. This project was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 49572091).     

Thermodynamics of arsenates,selenites, and sulfates in the oxidation zone of sulfide ores: I. Thermodynamic constants at ambient conditions

Understanding and deciphering processes proceeding near the surface are among the urgent tasks of contemporary mineralogy and geochemistry, which are especially important for resolving ecological challenges and developing principles of rational environmental management. The paper presents systematized data published on thermodynamics of minerals (arsenates, sulfates, selenites, and selenates), which are formed in the weathering zone of sulfide ores, and determines approaches to quantitative physicochemical modeling of their formation conditions. Diagrams of phase and chemical equilibria (Eh-pH, diagrams of solubility) of the subsystems of the model system Fe-Cu-Zn-Pb-Co-Ni-As-Se-S-H₂O (Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Pb²⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, H⁺//SeO₃²⁻, SeO₄²⁻, AsO₄³⁻, SO₄²⁻, OH⁻-H₂O) are used as a thermodynamic basis for modeling mineral-forming processes in the weathering zone of ore deposits. Seventy-two arsenates, about 70 sulfates, and 7 selenites and selenates have been identified in the framework of this system. The available published values of standard thermodynamic functions of the formation of minerals and chemical compounds are given, as well as the Pitzer equation parameters to describe the sulfate systems, which are substantially specific due to the high solubility of their components.     

Competitive adsorption of metal ions onto goethite–humic acid-modified kaolinite clay

A binary mixture of humic acid and geothite was prepared and used to modify kaolinite to produce geothite–humic acid (GHA)-modified kaolinite adsorbent useful for the adsorption of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Cu²⁺ from Single and Quinary (5) metal ion systems. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) and specific surface area of GHA-modified kaolinite clay adsorbent were found to be 40 meq/100 g and 13 m²/g, respectively, with the CEC being five times that of raw kaolinite clay (7.81 meq/100 g). The Langmuir–Freundlich equilibrium isotherm model gave better fit to experimental data as compared with other isotherm models. In Quinary metal ion system, the presence of Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ appears to have an antagonistic effect on the adsorption of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺, while the presence of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺ shows a synergistic effect on the adsorption of Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺. The GHA-modified kaolinite showed strong preference for the adsorption of Pb²⁺ in both metal ion systems. Brouers–Weron–Sotolongo (BWS) kinetic model gave better fit to kinetic data compared with other kinetic models used. Data from BWS kinetic model indicate that adsorption of metal ions onto GHA-modified adsorbent in both metal ion systems followed strictly, diffusion-controlled mechanism with adsorption reaction proceeding to 50 % equilibrium in <2 min in the Single metal ion system and <1 min in the Quinary metal ion system. Adsorption of metal ions onto GHA-modified kaolinite is fairly spontaneous and endothermic in nature in both metal ion systems although the rate of metal ion uptake and spontaneity of reaction are reduced in the Quinary metal ion system.