Method of obtaining copper from copper-bearing ores

Abstract

The invention provides a method for obtaining electrolytic copper from copper-bearing ores which involves (a) lixiviating a sulphurized copper concentrate with an aqueous solution containing cupric chloride; (b) separating the solution resulting from the lixiviation stage (a) into two parts, one of said parts, containing at least 1 gram of cuprous ions per liter and at least 2 grams of ferrous ions per liter, being subjected to oxidation by air at atmospheric pressure, at a pH value between 1 and 3, and at a temperature above 90.degree. C., resulting in the precipitation of goethite [FeO(OH)] which is separated, and the resulting solution then recycled to the lixiviation stage (a); (c) partially extracting the copper contained in the other part of the solution resulting from the lixiviation stage (a) by contacting the solution with an organic phase containing a cationic solvent, this extraction being accompanied by oxidation by injection of air; (d) re-extracting the copper, now contained in the organic phase, by contacting the latter with an aqueous sulphuric acid solution and recycling the organic phase to extraction stage (c); and (e) treating the copper sulphate solution obtained from the preceding stage (d) to obtain, on the one hand, elemental copper, and, on the other hand, an aqueous sulphuric acid solution which is recycled to the re-extraction stage (d), the major part of the aqueous phase resulting from stage (c) at which copper is partially extracted being recycled to the lixiviation stage (a).