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    Leaching of a low-grade, copper-nickel sulfide ore. 3. Interactions of Cu with selected sulfide minerals

    133608_133608.pdf (466.3Kb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Maley, Mark
    Van Bronswijk, Wilhelm
    Watling, H.
    Date
    2009
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Maley, M. and Van Bronswijk, W. and Watling, H. 2009. Leaching of a low-grade, copper-nickel sulfide ore. 3. Interactions of Cu with selected sulfide minerals. Hydrometallurgy. 98 (1-2): pp. 73-80.
    Source Title
    Hydrometallurgy
    DOI
    10.1016/j.hydromet.2009.03.015
    ISSN
    0304386X
    Faculty
    Faculty of Health Sciences
    School of Public Health
    School
    Department of Chemistry
    Remarks

    NOTICE: This is the author’s version of a work in which changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication.

    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/17251
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Interactions between copper ions and selected sulfide mineral concentrates were investigated in flask and column tests under conditions relevant to heap leaching in order to understand why copper recovery from a copper-nickel complex sulfide ore was significantly less than nickel recovery. Both pyrrhotite and pyrite were found to play roles in copper deposition from sulfate solutions in the range pH 1-5. The non-oxidative dissolution of pyrrhotite, previously reported to occur under acidic conditions of low oxygen availability, was also found to occur in a well-aerated system. Soluble copper reacted with the generated hydrogen sulfide to form copper sulfide, mainly covellite at pH >2.3 and its re-dissolution required acid, oxygen and a strong oxidant such as ferric ion. While significant copper also precipitated from copper sulfate solutions pH N3 in the presence of pyrite, the brochantite which was formed was readily re-dissolved at pH <3. The poor recovery of copper experienced in a test heap of copper-nickel sulfide ore was attributed to the presence of pyrrhotite and the rise in pH as the leachate percolated through the heap bed. The copper would only be recovered if acidic, oxidising conditions were restored in the heap.

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