Laboratory Studies of Ammonia Leaching of Copper Ores. Volume I.

摘要

This report describes the results of ammonia leaching studies on sulfide and native copper ores of Michigan. Tests were performed on pure minerals to determine the kinetics of leaching and on ore samples to determine leaching rates,reagent losses,and dissolved impurities. In nearly all cases,the rate of leaching was controlled by pore diffusion. Conditions for precipitating a rate-retarding cuprous oxide film when leaching metallic copper were determined. Three native copper ores and four varieties of a chalcocite ore were leached for times of up to 18months. Ore sizes ranged from 3/4to 6inches. Copper extraction from the native copper ores ranged from 50to 90%. Extraction from the sulfide ores was poor--less than 15%. Ammonia losses ranged from 1/3to 3pounds per ton of ore. Various physical properties of the ores were measured. A computer program to determine copper extraction versus time was developed and found to give results in reasonable agreement with test results.