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Comprehensive Electrochemical-Chemical Study of Copper Reduction from Molybdenum Concentrate Using Mixed HCl, FeCl3, CuCl2, and CaCl2 Leaching Medium

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Abstract

Molybdenite is the most important molybdenum concentrate, which is mainly recovered as a by-product from porphyry copper deposits. Due to the low efficiency of purification processes such as flotation in the reduction of copper content of molybdenum concentrate to a standard level (i.e., less than 0.5 wt.%), further purification by a hydrometallurgical method is required. Although different types of chemical reagents were found to be effective in the leaching of copper minerals from molybdenum concentrate, the mechanisms of these processes remain largely unexplored. In this study, optimal conditions for maximum copper leaching (> 99%) were obtained at the concentration of HCl = 1 M, FeCl3 = 0.5 M, CuCl2 = 0.05 M, CaCl2 = 0.5 M at 75 °C, 500 rpm, and S:L = 1:10 during 60 min. CuCl2 was identified as the most effective leaching reagent for copper dissolution in agreement with Visual MINTEQ model results due to the formation of various types of copper chloride complexes. Furthermore, the electrochemical behaviors of FeCl3, CuCl2, and CaCl2 reagents before and after the leaching process were investigated by the cyclic voltammetry technique. The results of cyclic voltammograms at different scan rates verified the presence of copper chloride complexes, and ferric ions as the oxidizing reagents for better dissolution of copper sulfides. Based on kinetic study results of shrinking core models, both chemical and diffusion reactions controlled the copper leaching process with an obtained activation energy of 33.56 kJ/mol. For recovery of the leached copper, the precipitation process was done by the addition of Na2S at 45 °C, S/Cu = 1, and pH = 9.

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Data Availability

We mentioned previously in the precipitation process for copper solution after removing from molybdenite concentrate, it is possible for copper to be precipate and separate from soultion, it is a way that would be applicale for copper to recycle from leaching solution and using into the copper extration unite.

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Funding

This research is financially supported by a research grant of the Sahand University of Technology (grant number 19316) and Sungun copper mine complex (grant number 3099109).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mineral Processing, Faculty of Mining Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran

    Shima Barakan, Valeh Aghazadeh, Ehsan Bidari, Mina Soleymani & Morovvat Faridazad

  2. TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Leipziger, Freiberg, Germany

    Ehsan Bidari

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  1. Shima Barakan
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  2. Valeh Aghazadeh
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Correspondence to Valeh Aghazadeh.

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Barakan, S., Aghazadeh, V., Bidari, E. et al. Comprehensive Electrochemical-Chemical Study of Copper Reduction from Molybdenum Concentrate Using Mixed HCl, FeCl3, CuCl2, and CaCl2 Leaching Medium. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 40, 141–159 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-022-00708-8

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