Vanadium Recovery Ion Exchange Resin Case Study Xiangxi Materials Plant 100 m3/d Wastewater Treatment Project

Case Study: Ion Exchange Resin System for Vanadium Recovery and Effluent Control

Project: Vanadium extraction wastewater treatment of a materials company in Xiangxi
Treatment capacity: 100 m³/d  |  Inlet vanadium: 200-300 mg/L  |  Outlet requirement: ≤5 mg/L

1. Project Background

Located in Xiangxi, Hunan Province, one of China’s most important vanadium-producing regions, the customer is a new materials company operating a vanadium extraction line. Its process generates a continuous stream of vanadium-bearing solution at a flow rate of 100 m³ per day, with vanadium concentrations fluctuating between 200 mg/L and 300 mg/L depending on the ore batch and leaching conditions.

Vanadium is both a valuable resource and a regulated pollutant. The company needed a solution that could do two jobs at once: recover the vanadium value from the process stream, and guarantee that the treated water consistently meets the discharge requirement of no more than 5 mg/L vanadium. Conventional chemical precipitation alone could not achieve this level of consistency, especially under fluctuating inlet concentrations.

2. The Challenge

The key difficulties were the fluctuating feed concentration, the need for uninterrupted 24-hour operation, and the requirement to turn the removed vanadium into a reusable concentrate rather than a hazardous sludge.

3. Solution: Chelating Ion Exchange Polishing System

After evaluating precipitation, solvent extraction and membrane options, the customer selected an ion exchange polishing system built with Sphelite macroporous chelating resin. The chelating resin carries functional groups with high selectivity for vanadium ions, allowing it to adsorb vanadium even in the presence of competing cations commonly found in leach solutions.

• Lead-lag column configuration ensures continuous operation: while the lead column is adsorbing, the lag column is being regenerated, so the 100 m³/d flow is never interrupted.
• High selectivity of the chelating functionality concentrates vanadium on the resin bed while most impurity ions pass through.
• Regeneration recovers value: the vanadium-rich eluate is returned to the front of the extraction circuit, directly increasing the plant’s vanadium yield, while the resin is restored for the next cycle.
• Stable macroporous structure withstands the aggressive chemistry and osmotic cycling of the leach liquor, keeping resin attrition low over multiple years of service.
• Automated control manages service, backwash, regeneration and rinse steps, minimizing operator intervention and chemical consumption.

4. Results and Benefits

• Stable compliance with the ≤5 mg/L vanadium discharge limit at the full design flow of 100 m³/d.
• Effective treatment of fluctuating feed loads between 200 mg/L and 300 mg/L without breakthrough.
• Vanadium recovered as a concentrated eluate, creating a direct economic return that offsets the operating cost.
• Compact footprint and low chemical consumption compared with alternative polishing technologies.
• Reliable long-term media performance supported by Sphelite’s ISO 9001:2015 quality system and responsive technical service.

5. Why the Customer Chose Sphelite

Sphelite is a specialized manufacturer of ion exchange and adsorption materials with a 100,000 m² production base and an annual capacity of 24,000 metric tons. The customer received complete support from media selection and column sizing through to commissioning and operator training. All raw materials are tested before production, and finished resin is packaged only after strict quality control, ensuring batch-to-batch consistency for a process that runs around the clock.

6. Conclusion

This Xiangxi project demonstrates how a well-designed chelating ion exchange system solves two problems with one investment: it polishes vanadium-bearing wastewater from 200-300 mg/L down to below 5 mg/L at a capacity of 100 m³/d, and it converts the removed vanadium into a recyclable concentrate that improves overall metal recovery. For mining and metallurgy operators facing similar vanadium, tungsten, molybdenum or other metal removal challenges, Sphelite provides media selection, process design and free samples for pilot testing. Contact our team to discuss your project.