The FENIX hydromet iron control system for purification of copper electrowinning solutions

摘要

The FENIX hydromet iron control system has been installed at Western Metals Copper Limited's Mount Gordon Operations in Queensland, Australia. The Mt. Gordon Copper Process uses an autoclave leach and solvent extraction process to recover copper from sulfide ores. Iron is transferred with copper through solvent extraction. This iron accumulates in the electrowinning circulation and must be controlled. Prior to September 2002, the mode of iron control was to bleed a volume of electrolyte to the leach circulation. The FENIX system substantially replaces the bleed system of iron control at Mt. Gordon. The FENIX unit loads iron from the electrowinning solution on a sulfonated monophosphonic acid resin followed by stripping using a novel cuprous sulfate elution solution. The FENIX system installed at Mt. Gordon has delivered significant savings in reagent consumption and has the potential to deliver higher current efficiencies in copper electrowinning, leading to increased copper production. The FENIX system was commissioned in September 2002, with a design removal rate of 220 kg of iron per day. The unit has achieved iron removal rates of over 300 kg per day. This paper provides a description of the principles of iron control using the FENIX system. The engineering, installation and operational data of the Mt. Gordon unit are discussed. Finally, the operating performance and benefits of the FENIX system at the Mt. Gordon site are presented.