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Polytetrafluoroethylene/TiO2 Composite Pellets as Sulfur Adsorbents for Pressure Oxidation Leaching of Chalcopyrite

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Abstract

In this study, we report the use of polytetrafluoroethylene/titanium dioxide (PTFE/TiO2) composite pellets as sulfur adsorbents in the extraction of copper from chalcopyrite by pressure oxidation leaching. PTFE/TiO2 composites of various compositions were prepared by compression molding followed by pelletization. The mass percentage of TiO2 filler in the PTFE matrix was varied from 0 to 35 wt pct. With the use of the composite pellets, significant enhancements in copper leaching were observed, indicating their role as adsorbents for the adsorption of molten elemental sulfur. In particular, the enhancement in copper extraction was increasingly pronounced (from 75 to 89 pct) with the increase of the mass percentage of TiO2 in the composite pellets from 0 to 35 wt pct. This is reasoned to result from the loss of TiO2 domains from the pellet surface, which creates additional rough hydrophobic surface to better capture elemental sulfur. The composite pellet adsorbents show excellent reusability, with the performance well maintained for 10 leaching cycles. In addition, the effectiveness of composite adsorbents at different chalcopyrite pulp densities was also investigated.

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Acknowledgments

The financial support for this work from Barrick Gold Corporation, Ontario Centres of Excellence, Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation, and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is greatly appreciated. The authors also thank Dr. TurgutYalcin and Mr. Henry Ylitaloat Laurentian University for scanning electron microscope and Atomic Absorption Spectrometer analyses, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bharti School of Engineering, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada

    Patakamuri Govindaiah (Postdoctoral Fellow), Mark Grundy (M.Sc. Student), Eduard Guerra (Associate Professor) & Zhibin Ye (Professor, Canada Research Chair)

  2. Strategic Technology Solutions, Barrick Gold Corporation, 3700-161 Bay Street, Toronto, ON, M5J 2S1, Canada

    Yeonuk Choi (Senior Manager)

Authors
  1. Patakamuri Govindaiah
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  2. Mark Grundy
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  3. Eduard Guerra
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  4. Yeonuk Choi
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  5. Zhibin Ye
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Eduard Guerra or Zhibin Ye.

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Manuscript submitted July 14, 2014.

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Govindaiah, P., Grundy, M., Guerra, E. et al. Polytetrafluoroethylene/TiO2 Composite Pellets as Sulfur Adsorbents for Pressure Oxidation Leaching of Chalcopyrite. Metall Mater Trans B 46, 550–556 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-014-0265-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-014-0265-y

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