Recovery of copper from chalcopyrite utilizing copper sulfate leach
US3957602A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 24, 1974 |
| Grant date | May 18, 1976 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 24, 1994 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P10/20
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Copper is recovered from chalcopyrite by means of a pollution-free hydrometallurgical process which entails leaching and converting the chalcopyrite with copper sulfate in order to produce an insoluble copper sulfide, a soluble iron sulfate and sulfuric acid. A secondary leach is then conducted in order to react the copper sulfide with oxygen in the presence of a jarosite-forming cation to produce a soluble copper sulfate and an insoluble iron bearing jarosite. This copper sulfate is separated from the jarosite and sent to a copper recovery process and/or recycled. Alternatively, the copper sulfide from the initial leach may be separated from the iron sulfate solution immediately after the initial leach, and this copper sulfide can be treated with other processes to produce elemental copper and sulfur.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.