Chemistry of inorganic compounds – Treating mixture to obtain metal containing compound – Group ib metal
Patent
1980-10-06
1982-07-27
Hearn, Brian E.
Chemistry of inorganic compounds
Treating mixture to obtain metal containing compound
Group ib metal
423493, C01G 304
Patent
active
043417426
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
Technical Field
The invention relates the field of recovering copper from its sulfide ores, particularly chalcopyrite, by hydrometallurgical techniques.
Background Art
Since the comparatively recent promulgation of stringent federal air pollution air control regulations, the copper industry has been actively engaged in the development of hydrometallurgical processes for the recovery of copper from its sulfide ores to replace the prior pyrometallurgical processes. A number of these processes have already been patented. The most favorable of these processes are directed broadly to the solubilization of copper in the copper sulfide ore with various lixiviants, typically ferric chloride and/or cupric chloride.
Atowood U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,944 discloses a process for leaching copper containing materials in two stages with ferric chloride and with cupric chloride. During the cupric chloride leach sodium chloride or other saline metal chloride are added to the system to facilitate the cuprous chloride recovery. This process minimizes sulfate production, and removes any amount produced by calcium precipitation. The highest conversion of feed sulfide sulfur to sulfate permitted during the leach disclosed in Atwood is 4.8%. The maximum initial mole ratio of cupric chloride to feed copper disclosed in Atwood is 1.5, and the highest mole ratio of ferrous chloride generated during the leach to feed copper disclosed in Atwood is 3. The cuprous chloride concentration of the leach liquor leaving the cupric chloride leach stage is about 90 grams per liter, and the mole ratio of cuprous chloride produced in the leach to feed copper is about 2.
Swinkels U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,271 discloses a single stage process for leaching copper concentrates containing metal sulfides with ferric chloride, cupric chloride and chlorine. Swinkels also teaches that production of sulfate during the leach is undesirable, and discloses removal of any formed sulfate with calcium. Swinkels discloses about 5.9% conversion of sulfur to sulfate during the leach. The highest initial mole ratio of cupric chloride to feed copper disclosed in Swinkels is 1.5, and the highest mole ratio of ferrous ions formed during the leach to feed copper is 2.06. The highest mole ratio of cuprous chloride produced to feed copper disclosed in Swinkels is 2.24, and the highest cuprous chloride concentration disclosed is 95 grams per liter.
Milner U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,026 discloses a method for leaching copper bearing material in one stage with ferric chloride. The only cupric chloride present in this process is that generated internally during the leach. Sulfate is produced in Milner, in an undisclosed amount, and as it is taught that sulfate is undesirable, it is controlled by the addition of lime or calcium chloride to remove it from the solution. Milner discloses a total copper concentration at the end of the leach of up to 80 grams per liter, depending on the proportion of cupric to cuprous ions in solution.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,013,457 and 3,972,711 to Goens et al., disclose techniques for crystallizing cuprous chloride from various defined solutions.
A paper presented at the Annual AIME Meeting, Hydrometallurigical Section, in Denver, Colo. on Feb. 26, 1978 entitled, "A Hydrometallurgical Process for the Extraction of Copper," by J. H. McNamara, W. A. Ahrens, and J. B. Franek, discloses a two stage ferric chloride-copper chloride process for the leaching of copper concentrates. The process chemistry of the chloride leach is described generally as ferric chloride reacting with chalcopyrite to form ferrous chloride, cupric chloride and sulfur; cupric chloride reacting with chalcopyrite to form cuprous chloride, ferrous chloride and sulfur; and cupric chloride reacting with sulfur and water to form cuprous chloride, sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid.
The present invention encompasses a particular cupric chloride leach of chalcopyrite within a defined balance of reaction conditions in order to produce a solution of relatively high cuprous chloride concentra
REFERENCES:
patent: 3764490 (1973-10-01), Chambers
patent: 3776826 (1973-12-01), Atadan
patent: 3785944 (1974-01-01), Atwood
patent: 3901776 (1975-08-01), Kruesi
patent: 4023964 (1977-05-01), DeMarthe
patent: 4097271 (1978-06-01), Swinkels
patent: 4230487 (1980-10-01), DeMarthe
Clark Robert H.
Wilson Joseph P.
Cyprus Metallurgical Processes Corp.
Hearn Brian E.
Magidson William H.
McClain William T.
Medhurst Ralph C.
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