USE OF OXYGENATED OR POLYOXYGENATED INORGANIC WEAK ACIDS, OR DERIVATIVES, RESIDUES, AND WASTE THEREOF, IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE RECOVERY OF COPPER AND/OR THE CONCENTRATION OF COPPER IN PROCESSES FOR THE LEACHING OR BIOLEACHING OF COPPER MINERALS

摘要

The invention relates to the use of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids, or minerals or compounds that generate same, or solid or liquid waste from plants that produce oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acids and derivatives thereof, in order to increase the recovery of copper from mineral and/or to increase the concentration of copper in the solution (PLS) in processes for the leaching or bioleaching of copper. The invention also relates to a copper leaching method comprising adding a necessary quantity of an oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid, or a compound or a mineral that generates same, to the leaching process, and, in parallel, adding sulphuric acid to the leaching heap, in which the necessary quantity of oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid depends on the characteristics of the mineral. The invention further relates to a copper bioleaching method comprising adding a necessary quantity of an oxygenated or polyoxygenated weak acid, or a compound or a mineral that generates same, to the bioleaching process, and, in parallel, adding sulphuric acid to the bioleaching heap or dump, in which the necessary quantity of acid added depends on the characteristics of the mineral to be bioleached.