Treatment of Molybdenite Ore Using a 2 kw Solar Furnace

In the summer of 1977 several 10 g samples of molybdenite ore containing 5 to 6% Mo as MoS/sub 2/ were heated in one of the 2 kW solar furnaces at the Laboratoire des Ultra-Refractaires, Odeillo, France. The end products showed excellent separation with pure yellow acicular crystals of 99/sup +/% MoO/sub 3/ and pure white SiO/sub 2/ powder being the two major components. Impurity levels in the MoO/sub 3/ did not exceed 6000 ppM while only a small fraction of the molybdenite was entrained along with the SiO/sub 2/. All treatment was done in a flowing oxygen atmosphere, and other elements condensed out at specific sites in the gas transport system. Analysis of the products was one by x-ray diffraction and x-ray fluorescence, emission spectroscopy, and wet chemical analysis. The ore was donated by Climax Molybdenum Co., Climax Co., and the work is a joint effort of LASL and CNRS Laboratoire des Ultra-Refractaires, Odeillo, France.