METHOD AND PROCESS FOR THE ENHANCED LEACHING OF COPPER SULFIDE MINERALS CONTAINING CHALCOPYRITE

摘要

A method of leaching a copper bearing sulfide mineral slurry containing chalcopyrite is described. The method comprises the steps of providing a slurry having chalcopyrite particles therein, exposing the slurry to an acidic leach solution, and chemically leaching copper from the slurry into the acidic leach solution in the presence of microwave irradiation. The microwave irradiation of the slurry takes place under process conditions whereby crystalline pyrite may be formed in-situ on surfaces of the chalcopyrite particles. Crystalline pyrite may be formed on surfaces of the chalcopyrite particles from amorphous phase pyrite. Leached copper is recovered from said acidic leach solution. A device for more efficiently leaching a copper bearing sulfide mineral slurry containing chalcopyrite is also described herein.