The physical phase analysis and thermodynamic calculations of blast furnace dust were performed using Xray diffraction fluorescence spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, energy spectrometer, and Factsage software. The leaching pattern and mechanism of zinc elements were studied by a roasting-leaching method. The results showed that the conversion of zinc ferrite to zinc sulfate could be realized when the roasting temperature range was 500-730 ℃, which was convenient for zinc leaching. A better roasting condition could be obtained when theroasting temperature was 600 ℃, roasting time was 60 min, and molar ratio of ferric sulfate was 1.2 : 1. Under these conditions, the zinc and iron leaching rates were 84.57% and 24.51%, respectively, at a sulfuric acid concentration of 110 gL-1, liquid-solid ratio of 10 : 1 mLg-1, leaching time of 60min, stirring speed of 400 rpm, and leaching temperature of 80 ℃. The leaching process of zinc from blast furnace dust sulfate roasting products agreed with the unreacted core model, and internal diffusion was the restrictive step. The kinetic equation of the leaching process was 1-2R/3-(1-R)2/3=0.47t, the apparent activation energy of the leaching reaction was 17.4 kJmol-1, and the reaction order was 1.908.