Envirotech Corporation

Frank A Baczek

Bruce C Wojcik

Robert C Emmett, Jr

Lawrence L Tuttle

Jack C Otto

Daniel M Lewis

Alexander A Jueschke

James K Dicksa

Robert D Cook

A system and process are provided for recovering copper from a contaminated copper-bearing source such as copper smelter flue dust. The copper-bearing source is leached in an acidic solution to produce a liquor containing dissolved copper and dissolved contaminants. Simple copper sulfides are precipitated from the liquor by reacting the liquor with chalcopyrite and sulfur dioxide. Copper is recovered from the precipitated sulfides. A novel process is provided for precipitating simple copper sulfides from a solution containing both dissolved copper and dissolved contaminants. The solution is combined with precipitation product such that substantially all ferric iron contained in the solution is reduced to ferrous iron. The ferric-free solution is reacted with chalcopyrite solids and sulfur dioxide to precipitate the dissolved copper as simple copper sulfides.

Recovering copper from a copper-bearing source

A slurry electrowinning apparatus includes a tank (10) in which are mounted alternating, spaced-apart anode (18) and cathode (20) electrodes. An inlet opening (60) is formed in a side of the tank (10) for introducing a copper-bearing electrolyte to the tank (10). An overflow opening (76) is also formed in a side of the tank (10) such that a solution level (62) is maintained in the tank (10) which is above the inlet opening (60). Baffles (64) are mounted within the tank (10) for evenly distributing the slurry within the tank (10) between the anodes (18) and cathodes (20). Both the anodes (18) and the cathodes (20) are supported within the tank (10) by electrode guides (22) such that a high pressure contact between the electrodes (18, 20) and the main electrical bussing (78) is provided.

Slurry electrowinning apparatus

A process and system are provided for recovering copper from chalcopyrite concentrate. The chalcopyrite is ground to a mean particle size of about 1.5-5 microns. The ground chalcopyrite is then divided into a first stream and a second stream. The first stream is leached in a leach solution containing at least about 100 gpl sulfuric acid and about 10-30 gpl ferric iron to produce a copper sulfate solution containing about 40-75 gpl dissolved copper and less than about 5 gpl ferric iron. The second stream of ground chalcopyrite is combined with the copper sulfate solution and with sulfur dioxide such that the combination reacts to precipitate dissolved copper from the copper sulfate solution as simple copper sulfides and to produce a liquor containing dissolved ferrous iron. The simple copper sulfides are then separated from the ferrous iron liquor. Sulfuric acid is added to the ferrous iron liquor to precipitate the ferrous iron as ferrous sulfate and the produce a recycle solution containing about 400-600 gpl sulfuric acid. The recycle solution is added to the leach solution. Copper is recovered from the simple copper sulfides.

Recovering copper from chalcopyrite concentrate

Apparatus for continuous electrowinning of copper bearing slurries, including an electrowinning cell wherein a slurry composed of a suitable electrolyte and a copper-bearing solid material, is subjected to the simultaneous reactions of dissolving the copper material and plating out elemental copper as a relatively pure copper product. The apparatus and process also includes means to purify the copper-bearing material before passage to the electrowinning cell so as to prevent contamination of the electrolyte in the cell and, also, a means to recover sulfur which is released during the electrowinning and unreacted copper material.

Apparatus and process for continuous electrowinning of copper bearing slurries, including an electrowinning cell wherein a slurry composed of a suitable electrolyte and a copper-bearing solid material, is subjected to the simultaneous reactions of dissolving the copper material and plating out elemental copper as a relatively pure copper product. The apparatus and process also includes means to purify the copper-bearing material before passage to the electrowinning cell so as to prevent contamination of the electrolyte in the cell and, also, a means to recover sulfur which is released during the electrowinning and unreacted copper material.

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Sandy, UT, United States of America

Frank A Baczek