Biohydrometallurgical Technology of Copper Recoveryfrom a Complex Copper Concentrate

摘要

Leaching of sulfide-oxidized copper concentrate of the Udokan deposit ore with a copper contentof 37.4% was studied. In the course of treatment in a sulfuric acid solution with pH 1.2, a copper leaching ratewas 6.9 g/kg h for 22 hours, which allowed extraction of 40.6% of copper. At subsequent chemical leaching at80 deg C during 7 hours with a solution of ferric sulfate obtained after biooxidation by an association of microorganisms, the rate of copper recovery was 52.7 g/kg h. The total copper recovery was 94.5% (over 29 hours).Regeneration of the Fe~(3+) ions was carried out by an association of moderately thermophilic microorganisms,including bacteria of genus Sulfobacillus and archaea Ferroplasma acidiphilum, at 1.0 g/L h at 40 deg C in thepresence of 3% solids obtained by chemical leaching of copper concentrate. A flowsheet scheme of a complexcopper concentrate process with the use of bacterial - chemical leaching is proposed.