Regeneration of Ferric by Hydrogen Peroxide for Heap Leaching of Copper Secondary Sulfides
摘要
Heap leachingHeap leaching is considered a cost-effective hydrometallurgical technique for extracting copperCopper from low-gradeGrade copper sulfideCopper sulfides ores. In the oxidative leachingLeaching of copper sulfidesCopper sulfides, an oxidant, typically ferricFerric, must be continuously supplied to the mineral surfaces for the leachingLeaching reactions to proceed. FerricFerric as the oxidant can be regenerated within the heapHeap via bacterial-assisted oxidation of ferrousFerrous by oxygen or outside the heapHeap using other oxidants, such as hydrogen peroxideHydrogen peroxide. In situations where conventional bacterial oxidation of ferrousFerrous is ineffective—particularly when the process water contains elevated concentrations of chlorideChloride—the use of hydrogen peroxideHydrogen peroxide for the ex-situ regeneration of ferricFerric could be an alternative. This research investigated the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxideHydrogen peroxide in oxidizingOxidizing ferrousFerrous in raffinate solutions to supplySupply ferricFerric for heap leachingHeap leaching of secondary copper sulfidesCopper sulfides. Reactor tests were first carried out to quantify ferrous oxidationFerrous oxidation rate at different solution compositions, followed by column leachingLeaching tests of a copper oreCopper ore containing secondary sulfidesSulfide. The experimental results show that ferrousFerrous could be effectively oxidized by hydrogen peroxideHydrogen peroxide. The presence of chlorideChloride in solution did not affect the extent of oxidation. The presence of copperCopper slowed down the oxidation. Column leachingLeaching tests demonstrated that the copper extractionCopper extraction from the secondary sulfide oreSulfide ore was satisfactory, and ferricFerric was effectively regenerated with the addition of hydrogen peroxideHydrogen peroxide. The research findings could help heap leachHeap leach operationsOperation manage oxidant regeneration using hydrogen peroxideHydrogen peroxide for heap leachingHeap leaching of chalcociteChalcocite, especially at elevated concentrations of chlorideChloride.