Envirotech Corporation

Lawrence L Tuttle

Bruce C Wojcik

Frank A Baczek

Jack C Otto

Daniel M Lewis

Alexander A Jueschke

Robert C Emmett, Jr

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 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 countercurrent washing of finely divided solids comprising a vertical tank divided by transverse plates into a plurality of superimposed compartments, a single opening in each plate, a rake in each compartment for scraping settled solids on the plate to the opening, an inlet in the uppermost compartment for introducing solids, an outlet in the bottom of the lowermost compartment for discharge of settled solids, a wash liquor inlet in a lower zone of the lowermost compartment, a wash liquor outlet in the uppermost compartment for liquid discharge and valves for regulating the rate of introduction of both solids at the top of the tank and wash liquor at the bottom. Tubular components may depend from the edge of the single opening in each plate.

Growing community of inventors

Sandy, UT, United States of America

Lawrence L Tuttle