DOI: 10.18503/1995-2732-2022-20-3-13-25
Abstract
Problem Statement (Relevance). Due to the global trend of depleting raw materials and ore grade deterioration, metallurgical companies are forced to utilize more and more complex ores. Such ores require new stripping methods to be developed. One of the most promising areas in polymetallic ore processing includes autoclave technology. This paper looks at the possibility of using two-stage (autoclave + atmospheric) leaching in sulphuric acid and chloride media for the processing of polymetallic sulphide concentrates containing nickel, copper, cobalt, and precious metals. Methods Applied. The paper examines 3 concentrates obtained as a result of processing ores from the Transbaikal region, containing 9, 6 and 4% of nickel, respectively. The following pressure leaching parameters were used for the initial decomposition of minerals: temperature – 220°C, oxygen pressure – 0,7-1,0 MPa. After that, the material was subjected to atmospheric leaching in a chloride environment at a temperature of 95°C for 4 hours. Originality. This paper offers a completely new approach to the processing of sulphide polymetallic materials containing nickel, cobalt, copper, and precious metals. The proposed technique involves the use of high autoclave conditions (i.e. the temperature of 220°C and the total pressure of up to 40 bar) at the first leaching stage to dissolve the main macrocomponents, namely copper, nickel and cobalt sulphides. The second stage of leaching takes place in a chloride environment under atmospheric conditions, with the aim to transfer precious metals into liquid phase. Result. The primary material turned out to be refractory ore. That’s why high parameters were required for the initial decomposition of minerals in an autoclave. The resulting solid residues, which collected the precious metals, also proved to be of refractory nature. A series of studies on chloride leaching of pressure oxidation cakes showed that satisfactory results can be achieved for the extraction of Pd, Au and Ag into liquor under the previously tested conditions. It varies between 75 and 95%, while the maximum extraction of platinum is limited to 33%. The process tricks that aim to raise the recovery of Pt cause a large amount of iron to transfer into liquor, which greatly affects the subsequent recovery of all PMs. Practical Relevance. The findings described in this paper can be used to develop a full-fledged hydrometallurgical process that would be relevant for refractory polymetallic sulphide ores containing nickel, copper, cobalt and precious metals and that would save pyrometallurgical processing.
Keywords
Sulphide concentrate, pressure oxidation, noble metals, copper, nickel, cobalt, chloride leaching
For citation
Gordeev D.V., Petrov G.V., Nikitina T.Yu. The Use of Two-Stage Sulphuric Acid and Chloride Leaching for the Processing of Sulphide Polymetallic Concentrates. Vestnik Magnitogorskogo Gosudarstvennogo Tekhnicheskogo Uni-versiteta im. G.I. Nosova [Vestnik of Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University]. 2022, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 13-25. https://doi.org/10.18503/1995-2732-2022-20-3-13-25
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