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A Comparative Kinetic Study of Chalcopyrite Leaching Using Alternative Oxidants in Methanesulfonic Acid System

  • Junmo Ahn
  • , Jiajia Wu
  • , Jaeheon Lee*
  • *Corresponding author for this work
  • University of Arizona

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Abstract

Methanesulfonic acid was proven to be an alternative lixiviant for copper leaching from chalcopyrite with hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. Two alternative oxidants, dichromate and nitrate, were studied for the copper dissolution from chalcopyrite, a refractory copper sulfide mineral. During chalcopyrite leaching tests, both oxidants achieved the copper extraction above 90% in 30 g/L methanesulfonic acid at 75oC. The activation energies in dichromate and nitrate leaching systems were 23 and 43 kJ/mol, classified as mass transfer and chemical reaction-controlled mechanism, respectively. The XRD analysis of a leached residue showed a formation of K-Cr-jarosite from methanesulfonic acid-dichromate system. Methanesulfonic acid with nitrate leaching system could be the most effective and sustainable for chalcopyrite leaching based on the comparative investigation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)390-401
Number of pages12
JournalMineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review
Volume43
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022

Keywords

  • Chalcopyrite
  • alternative oxidants
  • dichromate
  • methanesulfonic acid
  • nitrate

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