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A model of the dump leaching process that incorporates oxygen balance, heat balance, and air convection

  • Hydrometallurgy
  • Published:
Metallurgical Transactions B Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A one dimensional, nonsteady-state model of the copper waste dump leaching process has been developed which incorporates both chemistry and physics. The model is based upon three equations relating oxygen balance, heat balance, and air convection. It assumes that the dump is composed of an aggregate of rock particles containing nonsulfide copper minerals and the sulfides, chalcopyrite and pyrite. Leaching occurs through chemical and diffusion controlled processes in which pyrite and chalcopyrite are oxidized by ferric ions in the lixiviant. Oxygen, the primary oxidant, is transported into the dump by means of air convection and oxidizes ferrous ion through bacterial catalysis. The heat generated by the oxidation of the sulfides promotes air convection. The model was used to simulate the leaching of copper from a small test dump, and excellent agreement with field measurements was obtained. The model predicts that the most important variables affecting copper recovery from the test dump are dump height, pyrite concentration, copper grade, and lixiviant application rate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ledgemont Laboratory, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Lexington, Massachusetts

    L. M. Cathles (senior geophysicist)

  2. Energy and Environment Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California

    J. A. Apps (staff scientist)

Authors
  1. L. M. Cathles
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  2. J. A. Apps
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Additional information

J. A. APPS, formerly a scientist at the Metal Mining Division Research Center, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah

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Cathles, L.M., Apps, J.A. A model of the dump leaching process that incorporates oxygen balance, heat balance, and air convection. Metall Trans B 6, 617–624 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02913857

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02913857

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