The dissolution of copper from bornite, covellite, and copper concentrates at elevated temperatures and pressures Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Moss, Thomas Austin, 1935- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 01/10/2021 06:37:12 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/319689 THE DISSOLUTION OF COPPER FROM BORNITE, COVE LUTE, AND COPPER CONCENTRATES AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES by Thomas A . Moss A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF MINING AND METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE In the Graduate College UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1 9 5 8 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the advanced degree of Master of Science at the University of Arizona under a cooperative agreement between the University of Arizona and the United States Bureau of Mines. The cooperative agreement provides that the privilege of publishing all or part of the text has been granted to the United States Bureau of Mines. The thesis is deposited in the University of Arizona Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotations from or reproduction of this manuscript in part or in whole may be granted jointly by the Dean of the Graduate College and the United States Bureau of Mines when in their judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. The author hereby accepts the conditions of publication as stated above. SIGNED: APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: T. G . CHAPMAN Director of Thesis ■AC KNOW LEDGEMEN T the author w i^es td; express his fhqntes to: Carl Rampacek of the UnilM Stettes Bumqu o f Mihesi and ^ f o Ts G 0 Chapman^ Director of lhssisr College of Mihes^ for their guidance and constructive criti- menfpl w o # « Appreciation is also expressed to all others who # TdblW pf $qh#nts Chapter :: "z-' : —■ / V " N g e Acknowledgement ■ _ I Jntrodjjctton ■- ■=* - = — ^ :.<,==-=■ =-■* i=''= — .=(='== «, .. ■=,; , - II /sAatenals, Equipment^ and Experrmenta| Procedures 9 /• uOlTI i't^© Be ^ :vst' 'f6* :■»>-«=»...e=»: «*:• •.«=•; .«•. < )*»': -«=» W '«=*"'’•»» '*=»' • - Govellite ^ c=i ^ ^ ■*s ^ ^ ^ « = « => « .c=i' ^ M «. c=». ™ m « »«t=t -»=»,=3 ^=3 _c=* » 10 Commercial Copper ^ncentFdfeS - = - - ^M s1 ~ ~ ^ ~ « j] -' :.:Cement Coppei'”' '-.I-a-ri-'-a:13 v jPyflfe '*•’ .•**' '•*«•■ -<=* . =q es*"-*/'«•• «s=» •«; :W «==i W 'ear'W mj t=jmm ,t=a :oo; ts> W J=a t=3 W «=a *t=i, W :ea « 13 .:AiGbes$?ory ^ 16> ; Ahdjyticdi^mc ,, ,«::W:CF,;«»„=; »«- »- ■ l^ ., Standard Test Procedure: ” « «««««-««-' »• .«• -• 17 , III Experimentdl Work osl Bornite dnd Coveliite » - - « « « ^ 20 , Bdri^i te ca. -Ba :oa ,.t=p;-yw me t=3 e=3 -=e ,e=l‘ -tso" :me' w mbj t= G3 esi; c=3' -e=l -a »■: e=» teSlf .ibi;-ca tel1 20” ;:: ■; ; ; ;;BerleS':I^s;tnf|ti#ee:of1 l!nev-^ « . 20. ;/) ; Series li^ Effect of Addlfion pf Sulfuric Acid = »='« «= 3- ==■ » 22 Series ilig 0% ct of A^dltlom^^ « ^ ^ _ 23 SeriestV^ Sffect of Time vyfth, Addition rdf Acid^^ 24 Series Vf Effscf of Time with: the Addition of Pyrite ■= = = 26 Chapter . ' :: ' '' v,.>,. 5eri@s V lf feffect of Temperdtum with ^dli-ion of Aclcl = = - . 27 defies VH^ Effect of Degree of Agiiai-ion with Acid - -■ ~ 28 Series VII I f Effecit of portiai A ssure of Oxygen wi th ; . Addition of Pyriie a =■ =• « - = ■ ' > = ' ' fa. =..* := =3; *= == ■=, *>=, « — - 29 Series IX# Effect of Particle Size with Addifion of Acid - ~ 30 Series Effeet of Flow of Ai r wi th the Addi Hon of Pyrife = 31 Se#es Density y/ifti Addition of Sulfate - 32 Series XII^ Effect of Elevated Temperatures dnd f’ressures ~ 35 Chemistry of Leaching Bornite at Eievated Temperatures and , 'PpBSSMlto. Bay**' »'*«-• «.;•«=* w>=*. WV ;w. ;f».••:«■■<** «=»:-=9 '3^, Aberation ^f Bomite During J^aohing ^ * - - - » == *. = 38 Corrosion of Equipment - - “ —■ - — ^ >=: « 42 IV Dissolution of Copper from Commercial Concentrates and Cement Copper at Elevated Temperatures and Pressures - - = - = - ==--•=-=> 44 Series XI11, Dissolution oiF Copper from Magma Concehfrdte = ^ ^ •'**. •*<* **• .w •*■•••*«■**«■< .*•" 5*e<" 44 ; , Series XIVy Dissolution of Copper from Old Dick .*«=»' eai.. 'ittrt:■ -jaar jM: ,W" =» b»'1=3 .c=3 ;,taa~ ■ .ca«\;^V taa l=a ea» ca -ca‘ - • Series XV/ Dissolutionof Copper from Bagdad Concentrate ■==>- = — — = — — ^ = a =. =, .=,= 46 Series XVI/ 0issd|ufion of Copper t e fhelps Dodge . ■ Concentrate ™ « ^ ^ ™ ^ ™ ^ ™ ™ ^ ^ ^ *«> = 47 Series XVI1/ Disspbtion x>f Copper from Various Goncenfrates Employtng Pyip Densities of 33 ^ \ ■ V"n:;.- vV',- ■ ^■ 'v Chapter Series XVIII,, Dissolution of Copper from Various Concentrates Employing a Continuous FlowofAir - - = - = - 49 Series XIX* 0issolytiqn of Copper from Ceme Coppdr - - - 50 Series XXj, bissoluHon ofCopper from Mixi'ure of Phelps bodge Concenirate and Cemeht Copper - = - - - = =* - 52 V Conclusions anc! Recommendations = - - - ="■=• = = = — = = = » — ■= 53 C6|1lC;I:tJS.rO^$. ^ ^ -|e». -»•>«.• tsT' i=* ea «=, es:, 53 ;•» •’ . I'I ^ «=« • a: c=> t=t: .t=l 'C=J !==» =3Tsq B=dr -c 1=1 t=3 .tsa tsa: -t=a ..a=J .ena -e=o- esf t=3 to)' !^!S OoniM^rcjol ;Cpncehfr<^^^' ^ *-»• •■=» ;>=••••.».•55 t. Cement Copper ^ «=«••• w -:w ^•:>vt=a.■ 57 - - Recdnniii^enclat^ ^ ^ ^ «. w^w.-.*- -ft:-— w w—». &« ^ « 1 57 Bll b l ( Q^rQjpMy^ ” t=a>t«i t eo t=a, :C^i' :z=a ea oo ca o c=% t=» i="t=j — ;t=l t=>" -G=s -ca t=) — taa , 53 Tables 10 influence of time on the dissolution of copper from bomite under oxidizing conditions =' = ^ =, j- . .21 , '2.o Assays of residues and leach soiutions ==. « ~ ■=< - *= ='=. — - —' — — = 2 1 3o Effect of the addition of sulfuric acid on the dissolution of copper from bomi te for a reaction period of one hour - = -■ = - - „ n., - = 22 4 0 Assays of residues and leach liquors - — - - » ----- 22 5 0 . Effect of the addition of pyrite on the dissolution of copper from l^mlfe for a^i^ctron pprlod df ^ne hpur=<;a ” ” ^ w ^ ^ ” =- » ■- 23 . 6.0 Assays of leach liquors and residues = = =• = = = = == ™ — — = =' = == ■=■= 24 Effect of time on dissolution of copper with the addition of 0o50 pound of sulfuric acid per pound of bornite - = « ^ 25 B0 Effect of time on dissplufion of copper with the add!tion of 0 o25 : 'pdundvdfpyrite; per'pound of;b 9mite'w,ia:^ «=.=.=-;w25 9 0 , Effect of temperature on dissolution of copper fora reaction P O ^ O ,o n e hour-™ .......................— " ^ lOo Effect of fhe degree o f agitation of the pulp on dissolution I I o Effect of the pdrtial pressure of oxygen on the ratc of dissolution of copper— “ « - - _ « » » « _ = *=■ =t == « ^ . 29 i2o Efffect of longer reaction periods at an oxygen partial pressure of 25 pounds per square inch gauge on the dissolution of copper - - 29 130 Effect of particle size on dissolution of copper - - - - “ = " 31 Effect of rate of flow of air on the dissolution of copper - = = '= Effedt of pulp density on the dissolutiori of copper Solubility of copper sulfate in wafer " ” - = = -= — ■=• = = - - •= - Effect of elevated temperafures and pressures on the dissolution Dissolution of copper from the Magma copper concentrate - - ~ Dissolution of eopper frpm the Phelps Dodge concentrate - » ™ Dissolution of copper from various copper concentrates ertiployirig puip densities of 35 per cept solids ^ “ - >■ “ « Disspfution of copper fom VOflous concentrates using an air flow of 500 liters per hour - .'=* =° =■ =■ =» = — = ■= •=. ™ »=' Dissolution of copper from cement copper when sulfdte ion was provided with pyrite on sulfuric.acid tiddition Assays of leach liquor and residue from the 7 minute test using 1,23 pounds of sulfuric acid per pound of cement copper =■ ~ - ■= Dissdlufipn of copper from a synthetic concentrate composed of a mixture of the Phelps Dodge concentrate and cement copper ~ lllusfrdHons _ ^Asserirtb.lsd dutocloyB " ™ ,*= « w t- ;■= Priginctl pdjllshed surfticfs d f ibetrficles showing inclusions of chalcocite— = = = - - — == - - = - Polished surfaces of residue parHeies Ieached for SO mlnufes with: acid and oxygen magnified at lOQX ^ - - =. The some polished isuffooeS as of Figure 3 mag showing Ihe WidmOn^tofteri sirueture of tha ohaico|yrife =‘ *=• - Polished su r g e s of residue parHd ie§ aAer being 200 degrees Ceni"igrade for 120 minutes in a niirogen atmosphere JMfi ©iSS^yJXlOK OF C#PER FROM ,BORN!IE, GOVE1LITE, AND COFFER CONCENTRATES AT.E1EVATED TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES. CHAPTER | - INTRODUCTION Ledehing of Copper Ores Tte<^meiit of ftxyi^edi e<ip|»er 0res % 1915, when dcid I each i nig first wtis used ill large scale operations at Chuquicdmata, Chile, Smaller scale leaching operatioris that produced"cemeht copper were ose<tdt ewlNr distieSf but such operations we’re rioi of mqjor importance, ; Most Ieachmg operdtioris are carried out on oxidized or native copper ?riihera|s. For Ores of these. types? sulfuric dcid, ammonium carbonate, or cupric- #imoniu#cdrWhdte We u#d a& tbe so dnd type ^ The dissolution of copper from its sulfide miherdis eiSdlls the pridr dxh^ldn df the copper by tiir or by an oxidizing dgent, Ifi the - pdgtr at I east one ledchingoperdtion tredting theirtinerd I chdlcocite^ cuprolJS s&lflde^ used'adidified ferric s u l^ of dxid^i%ing dnd dissolving fhe copper with W 1 ■; y •’ .. .'1\; ■ , , , / • I, ,Rose, C, A,/M etallurgical Operations at the Chile Exploration.Company", Ehglheerlng and Minings February 12, 1916/ pp, 32iui2 a , v ^ ':;.y:'"- 2 ^ When employing ticid ledch'miethods the copper Is recovered irohi the jecich. liquor by medps of electrolysis or by the use of metallic iron. Ip the electrolytic method thecopper obtainedis in the; pure state and the equivdlenf acid from copper sulfate is regenerated0.