Agitation and column leaching studies of oxidised copper-cobalt ores under reducing conditions (original) (raw)

Abstract

Sulphuric acid agitation and column leaching tests of an oxidised copper-cobalt-bearing ore (1.44% Cu and 1.04% Co) were performed to investigate its amenability to copper and cobalt metals extraction under reducing conditions. Oxidised copper-cobalt-bearing ores from the Congolese Copperbelt contain a large proportion of cobalt in trivalent form, which is readily soluble in solutions of sulphuric acid, provided a reducing agent is also present. Sodium metabisulphite (Na 2 S 2 O 5) is one of the most commonly recommended reducing agents, but its addition during the leach phase could cause significant environmental problems and could affect copper recovery if present in large amounts. During leaching, sodium metabisulphite reacts with sulphuric acid and dissociates to form SO 2 which in fact reduces Co(III). However, SO 2 is only partially utilised, and much of it is entrained unreacted in the leach liquor. A large accumulation of SO 2 can become uncontrollable and therefore escape t...

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