Process for direct electrowinning of copper

US6451089B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Phelps Dodge Corporation · US

Inventors

• John O. Marsden · Paradise Valley, US
• Robert E. Brewer · Safford, US
• Joanna M. Robertson · Thatcher, US
• David R. Baughman · Golden, US
• Philip Thompson · Salt Lake City, US
• Wayne W. Hazen · Wheat Ridge, US
• Christel M. A. Bemelmans · Indian Hills, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 25, 2001
• Grant date: Sep 17, 2002
• Expiry date: Jul 25, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P10/20
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A system and process for recovering copper from a copper-containing ore, concentrate, or other copper-bearing material to produce high quality cathode copper from a leach solution without the use of copper solvent extraction techniques or apparatus. A process for recovering copper from a copper-containing ore generally includes the steps of providing a feed stream containing communicated copper-containing ore, concentrate, or other copper-bearing material, leaching the feed stream to yield a copper-containing solution, conditioning the copper-containing solution through one or more physical or chemical conditional steps, and electowinning copper directly from the copper-containing solution, without subjecting the copper-containing solution to solvent extraction.