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Metallurgical Evaluation of the Leaching Behavior of Copper–Cobalt-bearing Ores by the Principal Component Analysis Approach: Case Study of the DRC Copperbelt Ore Deposits

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Abstract

Cobalt (III) is present in most of the minerals in the Congolese Copperbelt deposits. Its hydrometallurgical treatment requires to be reduced to Co2+, using a reducing agent. Using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) approach, a 16 × 7 matrix was built to identify groups of ores/reducers with similar metallurgical performance. The study was based on the optimum values of reducing agents for the four selected minerals: 1.34, 0.33, 1.51, 0.25 g for Fe2+; 0.63, 0.51, 0.47, 0.24 g for Na2S2O5; 0.37, 0.11, 0.34, 0.21 g for Fe; and 2.02, 0.07, 0.13, 0.16 g for Cu. These optima crossed with other variables retained, in particular, the Cu and Co yields, reducing agent consumption, Cu and Co solubilization, and redox potential at leaching completion were reduced to two main components F1 (41.38%) and F2 (31, 46%). It emerges from the application of Principal Component Analysis to the 16 × 7 matrix a correlation circle showing that the variables having a major influence on the solubilization of Co are the reducing agent consumption by Co (24.48%), the amount of reducing agent (20.14%), and the potential at reaction completion (18.61%). Homogeneous groups of ores/reducers with good performance quality (F1 + F2 = 72.84%) were identified. In all and from a performance perspective, the ores treated with Fe2+, Fe, and Cu gave satisfactory metallurgical results (> 95% yield). On the contrary, the use of Na2S2O5 on all the deposits gave lower results (between 90% and 95% Co).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering, University of Likasi, P.O. Box 1946, Likasi, Democratic Republic of Congo

    Bienvenu Mbuya

  2. Faculty of Engineering, University of Lubumbashi, Kasapa Road, P.O. Box 1825, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo

    Patrick Ntakamusthi, Léon Zeka & Guy Nkulu

  3. Department of Metallurgy, Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment, Mineral Processing and Technology Research Centre, School of Mining, Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, PO Box 17911, Johannesburg, 2028, South Africa

    Bienvenu Mbuya, Patrick Ntakamusthi, Méschac-Bill Kime & Antoine F. Mulaba-Bafubiandi

  4. Gécamines Metallurgical Research Centre, Likasi, Democratic Republic of Congo

    Bienvenu Mbuya, Patrick Ntakamusthi, Léon Zeka & Guy Nkulu

  5. Mintek, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Alain Mwamba

  6. DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Alain Mwamba

Authors
  1. Bienvenu Mbuya
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  2. Patrick Ntakamusthi
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  3. Méschac-Bill Kime
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  4. Léon Zeka
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  5. Guy Nkulu
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  6. Alain Mwamba
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  7. Antoine F. Mulaba-Bafubiandi
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Correspondence to Bienvenu Mbuya.

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The contributing editor for this article was Grace Ofori-Sarpong.

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Mbuya, B., Ntakamusthi, P., Kime, MB. et al. Metallurgical Evaluation of the Leaching Behavior of Copper–Cobalt-bearing Ores by the Principal Component Analysis Approach: Case Study of the DRC Copperbelt Ore Deposits. J. Sustain. Metall. 7, 985–994 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-021-00389-5

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