HYDROMETALLURGICAL PLANT FOR NICKEL OXIDE ORE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING SAID HYDROMETALLURGICAL PLANT

摘要

The present invention makes it possible to increase the throughput in ore processing and thus attain enhanced productivity without causing poor reaction or deterioration in operation efficiency. This hydrometallurgical plant (10) is provided with: a leaching system (11) which is composed of multiple leaching lines that have leaching tanks (11(n)) respectively and in which the leaching of an ore is conducted; a preliminary neutralization system (12) which is equipped with first- and second-stage neutralization tanks and in which the pH of a leach slurry is adjusted; and a solid-liquid separation system (13) which is composed of one separation line and in which the pH-controlled leach slurry discharged from the preliminary neutralization system (12) is separated into a solid and a liquid. The preliminary neutralization system (12) is configured in a manner such that: multiple first-stage neutralization tanks (12A(n)) are arranged so as to correspond respectively to the leaching tanks (11(n)) of the multiple leaching lines; and the leach slurry streams, the pH values of which have been adjusted in the first-stage neutralization tanks (12A(n)), are joined in a single line which is composed of one second-stage neutralization tank (12B). The joined leach slurry streams are transferred to the solid-liquid separation system (13).