AU2004257844A1 - Method for processing sulfide ores containing precious metals - Google Patents
Method for processing sulfide ores containing precious metals Download PDFInfo
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- AU2004257844A1 AU2004257844A1 AU2004257844A AU2004257844A AU2004257844A1 AU 2004257844 A1 AU2004257844 A1 AU 2004257844A1 AU 2004257844 A AU2004257844 A AU 2004257844A AU 2004257844 A AU2004257844 A AU 2004257844A AU 2004257844 A1 AU2004257844 A1 AU 2004257844A1
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- Prior art keywords
- leaching
- conversion step
- solution
- nickel
- copper
- Prior art date
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- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 54
- 239000010970 precious metal Substances 0.000 title claims description 30
- UCKMPCXJQFINFW-UHFFFAOYSA-N Sulphide Chemical compound [S-2] UCKMPCXJQFINFW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 title claims description 14
- PXHVJJICTQNCMI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Nickel Chemical compound [Ni] PXHVJJICTQNCMI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 88
- 238000002386 leaching Methods 0.000 claims description 55
- 229910052759 nickel Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 43
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 37
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 34
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 34
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 claims description 34
- 239000012141 concentrate Substances 0.000 claims description 26
- XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N Iron Chemical compound [Fe] XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 22
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 14
- 229910017052 cobalt Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 11
- 239000010941 cobalt Substances 0.000 claims description 11
- GUTLYIVDDKVIGB-UHFFFAOYSA-N cobalt atom Chemical compound [Co] GUTLYIVDDKVIGB-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 11
- 229910052742 iron Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 10
- QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-L Sulfate Chemical compound [O-]S([O-])(=O)=O QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 claims description 9
- OMZSGWSJDCOLKM-UHFFFAOYSA-N copper(II) sulfide Chemical compound [S-2].[Cu+2] OMZSGWSJDCOLKM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 7
- 229910052500 inorganic mineral Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000011707 mineral Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- VEXZGXHMUGYJMC-UHFFFAOYSA-M Chloride anion Chemical compound [Cl-] VEXZGXHMUGYJMC-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 claims 3
- CWYNVVGOOAEACU-UHFFFAOYSA-N Fe2+ Chemical compound [Fe+2] CWYNVVGOOAEACU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 1
- 230000001590 oxidative effect Effects 0.000 claims 1
- KDLHZDBZIXYQEI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Palladium Chemical compound [Pd] KDLHZDBZIXYQEI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 14
- BASFCYQUMIYNBI-UHFFFAOYSA-N platinum Chemical compound [Pt] BASFCYQUMIYNBI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 14
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 8
- 229910052763 palladium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 7
- 229910052697 platinum Inorganic materials 0.000 description 7
- 239000000047 product Substances 0.000 description 7
- MBMLMWLHJBBADN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ferrous sulfide Chemical class [Fe]=S MBMLMWLHJBBADN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 6
- 239000002994 raw material Substances 0.000 description 6
- 239000002244 precipitate Substances 0.000 description 5
- 229910052952 pyrrhotite Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
- 229910000570 Cupronickel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
- VEXZGXHMUGYJMC-UHFFFAOYSA-N Hydrochloric acid Chemical compound Cl VEXZGXHMUGYJMC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- UQSXHKLRYXJYBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Iron oxide Chemical compound [Fe]=O UQSXHKLRYXJYBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000003723 Smelting Methods 0.000 description 4
- NINIDFKCEFEMDL-UHFFFAOYSA-N Sulfur Chemical compound [S] NINIDFKCEFEMDL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Sulfuric acid Chemical compound OS(O)(=O)=O QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 4
- YOCUPQPZWBBYIX-UHFFFAOYSA-N copper nickel Chemical compound [Ni].[Cu] YOCUPQPZWBBYIX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 238000005188 flotation Methods 0.000 description 3
- PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N gold Chemical compound [Au] PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 229910052737 gold Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000010931 gold Substances 0.000 description 3
- 125000000101 thioether group Chemical group 0.000 description 3
- -1 FexS or FeS Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 230000000881 depressing effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000000622 liquid--liquid extraction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000001556 precipitation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000000638 solvent extraction Methods 0.000 description 2
- WWNBZGLDODTKEM-UHFFFAOYSA-N sulfanylidenenickel Chemical compound [Ni]=S WWNBZGLDODTKEM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 150000004763 sulfides Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 229910052717 sulfur Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000011593 sulfur Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910018916 CoOOH Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- CBENFWSGALASAD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ozone Chemical compound [O-][O+]=O CBENFWSGALASAD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- HCHKCACWOHOZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Zinc Chemical compound [Zn] HCHKCACWOHOZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical group [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- DVRDHUBQLOKMHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N chalcopyrite Chemical compound [S-2].[S-2].[Fe+2].[Cu+2] DVRDHUBQLOKMHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052951 chalcopyrite Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- INPLXZPZQSLHBR-UHFFFAOYSA-N cobalt(2+);sulfide Chemical compound [S-2].[Co+2] INPLXZPZQSLHBR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 230000000994 depressogenic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000001914 filtration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000227 grinding Methods 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-M hydroxide Chemical compound [OH-] XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 1
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052935 jarosite Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- YFLLTMUVNFGTIW-UHFFFAOYSA-N nickel;sulfanylidenecopper Chemical compound [Ni].[Cu]=S YFLLTMUVNFGTIW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000003647 oxidation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007254 oxidation reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001376 precipitating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009853 pyrometallurgy Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007670 refining Methods 0.000 description 1
- 150000003839 salts Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000013049 sediment Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000004760 silicates Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000003464 sulfur compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229910052725 zinc Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011701 zinc Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B11/00—Obtaining noble metals
- C22B11/04—Obtaining noble metals by wet processes
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B15/00—Obtaining copper
- C22B15/0063—Hydrometallurgy
- C22B15/0065—Leaching or slurrying
- C22B15/0067—Leaching or slurrying with acids or salts thereof
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B15/00—Obtaining copper
- C22B15/0063—Hydrometallurgy
- C22B15/0065—Leaching or slurrying
- C22B15/0067—Leaching or slurrying with acids or salts thereof
- C22B15/0071—Leaching or slurrying with acids or salts thereof containing sulfur
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B15/00—Obtaining copper
- C22B15/0063—Hydrometallurgy
- C22B15/0084—Treating solutions
- C22B15/0089—Treating solutions by chemical methods
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B23/00—Obtaining nickel or cobalt
- C22B23/04—Obtaining nickel or cobalt by wet processes
- C22B23/0407—Leaching processes
- C22B23/0415—Leaching processes with acids or salt solutions except ammonium salts solutions
- C22B23/043—Sulfurated acids or salts thereof
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B3/00—Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes
- C22B3/04—Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes by leaching
- C22B3/06—Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes by leaching in inorganic acid solutions, e.g. with acids generated in situ; in inorganic salt solutions other than ammonium salt solutions
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B3/00—Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes
- C22B3/20—Treatment or purification of solutions, e.g. obtained by leaching
- C22B3/44—Treatment or purification of solutions, e.g. obtained by leaching by chemical processes
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B3/00—Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes
- C22B3/20—Treatment or purification of solutions, e.g. obtained by leaching
- C22B3/44—Treatment or purification of solutions, e.g. obtained by leaching by chemical processes
- C22B3/46—Treatment or purification of solutions, e.g. obtained by leaching by chemical processes by substitution, e.g. by cementation
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02P10/00—Technologies related to metal processing
- Y02P10/20—Recycling
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- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Metallurgy (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
- Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
Description
WO 2005/007901 PCTIFI2004/000452 1 METHOD FOR PROCESSING SULFIDE ORES CONTAINING PRECIOUS METALS The present invention relates to a method for processing sulfide ores containing 5 precious metals, such as copper ores containing nickel. At present nickel bearing copper ores are processed by flotation, so that there are directly and selectively produced separate copper and nickel concentrates, or then nickel concentrate is produced by depressing from a combined copper 10 nickel concentrate. The precious metals, such as gold, platinum and palladium contained in the raw materials are later separated in the further processes of copper and nickel. Almost without exception, copper-nickel separations include known sub-steps that reduce recovery and increase expenses, such as the repeating of the copper concentrate for increasing copper content and for 15 lowering nickel content. Often precious metals are conducted from combined concentrates directly, in connection with smelting, to copper or nickel matte, especially if the copper and nickel quantities are relatively small with respect to the precious metals. 20 A few processes, different from those mentioned above, are being developed. The most typical of these is the process developed by Lakefield, based on the combined use of sulfuric acid (H 2
SO
4 ) and hydrochloric acid (HCI) and autoclave conditions for leaching platinum-palladium-gold-copper and nickel bearing concentrates directly, so that all valuable components should go to the 25 solution. The temperature employed in the process is 210 - 2300 C. Said conditions mean that for example all sulfidic sulfur is oxidized into sulfate. The commercial application of this process type is restrained for example by the high oxidation potential needed in the leaching of precious metals, the sometimes strong tendency of said minerals to be passivated, their tendency to 30 be adsorbed in refuse minerals in solution-solids separations, their tendency to remain in precipitations in connection with leaching, and to be cemented due to the effect of the remaining non-sulfatic or corresponding sulfur compounds.
WO 2005/007901 PCT/F2004/000452 2 When also the raw material, i.e. platinum-palladium-copper-nickel concentrate, is often poor, and the temperature range of over 2000 C is economically expensive, the total leaching process becomes impractical for the above mentioned raw materials. 5 A third known process type is represented by the chloride assisted hydrometallurgical method described in the US-patent 5,902,474. Although the method, i.e. a process system utilizing mainly two-step leaching (autoclave + atmospheric) and liquid-liquid extraction, is meant for the recovery of copper 10 and zinc, it also takes into account, in a restricted way, some requirements set by precious metals. The object of the method according to the invention is to alleviate drawbacks of said known processes of ores containing precious metals, such as copper ores 15 containing nickel, connected both to the copper-nickel separation and to iron(copper + nickel) separations, but particularly to the recovery of precious metals, such as platinum, palladium and gold, as well as to alleviate the drawbacks connected to the process expenses. The method utilizes, in the various process steps starting from concentration, the principles described for 20 example in the patents US 5,108,495 and US 4,561,970, for controlling the processes in terms of the conditions set by the minerals, so that the leaching step or the conversion step are at least partly controlled by means of mineral specific potentials, impedance values or content values. As such, the method does not even attempt at leaching precious metals. In case precious metals are 25 obtained in the solution, they are cemented in the sediment for example by means of sulfides at the end of the leaching. The essential features of the invention are enlisted in the appended claims. In a method according to the invention, at least part of the ore containing 30 precious metals, and possibly some other material containing valuable components (nickel, cobalt, copper) is advantageously leached in sulfate or chloride based leaching, or in a leaching based on a combination of these, as WO 2005/007901 PCT/F2004/000452 3 atmospheric leaching in the temperature range of 50 - 1050 C. The leaching can also be carried out in an autoclave. As a result from the leaching, there is obtained a solution containing iron, copper, nickel and cobalt, as well as possibly part of the precious metals, and a leaching residue. Copper sulfide and 5 the precious metals contained by copper sulfide may remain partly undissolved. The solution, and at least part of the leaching residue, is conducted to at least one conversion step, i.e. to sulfidizing cementation. In the conversion, the copper and possible precious metals contained by the solution are cemented by an iron bearing sulfide, advantageously by a CuFeS 2 -(Ni,Fe,Co) 9
S
8 (FeixS) 10 concentrate containing as large a share of the precious metals as possible and different sulfides in the temperature range 90 - 2000 C, preferably in the temperature range 150 - 1900 C, when necessary according to the principles defined in the patents US 5,108,495 and US 4,561,970, as electrochemically adjusted. The sulfide material used in the conversion can be the same material 15 or different material than the material going to leaching. As a result from the conversion, there is obtained a copper-rich CuxS concentrate and a solution containing nickel, cobalt and iron. This solution, in which there can, when desired, also be added part of the leaching residue from 20 the leaching step, is conducted to nickel and cobalt recovery, for example to the production of nickel, or it is precipitated, at least in one conversion step, by means of iron sulfides, such as FexS or FeS, into nickel sulfide or cobalt sulfide or a combination of these. The iron is removed as jarosite precipitate or oxide precipitate. The method also gives a possibility to an effective treatment 25 of nickel and cobalt bearing pyrrhotite, Fel-xS. The copper-rich CuxS concentrate containing the precious metals is further conducted to copper production, in connection with which the precious metals are recovered. According to the method, the processing of mixed copper-nickel raw materials 30 is advantageously controlled. This is due to the fact that in the method, the copper and nickel recoveries are remarkably increased, when it is not necessary to separate the nickel by depressing from the copper concentrate, if WO 2005/007901 PCT/F2004/000452 4 the concentration step is required before the leaching step. A similar advantage is also connected to iron sulfides, especially to pyrrhotite (FeixS). Owing to other precipitation phases and impurities contained by pyrrhotite, the recoveries of iron sulfide ores, for example with respect to copper, platinum and palladium, 5 are radically reduced, if pyrrhotite is depressed for example in flotation, as is the case in the conventional process chain. When necessary, the taking of all pyrrhotite along in the leaching does result in a lot of iron oxide precipitate and elemental sulfur as a product from the leaching. Iron oxide precipitate and elemental sulfur can be processed into a harmless form as such by using 10 various known methods including different steps. According to the invention, for the material to be treated it suffices that advantageously only silicates are separated from the valuable components in the concentration. Still it is generally appropriate to create the gravitation 15 concentrate as separate, because in the grinding, part of the minerals in the platinum-palladium group remains coarse, and flotation recoveries are low for these heavy and coarse minerals. At least the iron sulfide Fe 1 xS that is richest in nickel and cobalt is taken along in the combined concentrate to be treated. 20 An advantage of the method according to the invention, in comparison with the conventional copper smelting process, is for example that a high nickel content in the copper concentrate can be technically controlled at the same time as the precious metals are advantageously recovered along with the copper concentrate. As a product from the method according to the invention, there is 25 obtained a sulfidic raw material with a high copper content, which raw material can be fed for example to a flash smelting furnace, to a furnace producing blister copper or to hydrometallurgic processes. As another product from the method according to the invention, there is obtained for instance a nickel bearing sulfate solution that can be treated as such, or precipitated as sulfide, 30 hydroxide or a corresponding salt, which can then be fed in existing nickel production processes.
WO 2005/007901 PCT/F2004/000452 5 Various different leaching alternatives can be applied in the method according to the invention: the leaching can be based for example on sulfate leaching, chloride leaching or a combination of these. If the solution contains larger amounts of chloride for example, then the copper sulfide product (CuxS) 5 obtained from the process is washed after filtering under cathodic potential, created either electrically or by chemicals, in case the product rich in CuxS is going to smelting. The same applies to other such products of the method of the present invention that are fed to other pyrometallurgical processes. Another preferred embodiment of the invention is one where leaching residue bearing 10 precious metals is conducted to the production of nickel. In that case the nickel contained in the recirculation solution of a nickel process is subjected to conversion by iron sulfide, such as Fe 1 .. xS or FeS, according to the following reaction (1): 15 Ni 2 + + FeS = NiS + Fe 2+(1) The obtained nickel sulfide can in that case be poor with respect to platinum and palladium, or it may contain a leaching residue that is rich in platinum, palladium and gold. When in this method both nickel and cobalt are mainly 20 contained in the solution, cobalt can be separated from nickel when so desired, for example by liquid-liquid extraction or by precipitating the cobalt selectively by ozone as the compound CoOOH. The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the appended 25 drawing, Fig.1 being a flow diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention. According to the figure, part of the ore or concentrate 1 based on copper sulfide and containing nickel and precious metals is conducted to leaching 2, where 30 also is fed oxygen bearing gas 3 and sulfuric acid 4 as part of the feed of the method according to the invention. Part of the feed of the method according to the invention is conducted to a conversion step 5 following the leaching step 2.
WO 2005/007901 PCT/F2004/000452 6 Advantageously the material 9 fed in the conversion step 5 is the same ore or concentrate 1 that is fed in the leaching step 2. To the leaching step 2, there also is conducted at least part of the sulfate solution 6 obtained from the conversion step 5 and containing nickel. 5 In the leaching step 2, the copper sulfide based ore or concentrate 1 containing nickel and precious metals is leached and neutralized, so that in the leaching 2, the iron is obtained in the precipitate 7. The solution 8 obtained from the leaching 2 is conducted, together with the part that was not dissolved, to the 10 conversion step 5, where the copper is returned to sulfide form containing the precious metals by means of sulfide material 9 fed in the conversion step 5. The copper sulfide 10 containing the precious metals is removed from the conversion step 5 and conducted to be processed further. Part of the sulfate solution 6 from the conversion step 5 is returned back to the leaching step 2, 15 whereas part of the sulfate solution 6 is advantageously conducted for instance to a new conversion step 11, where iron sulfide 12 is fed for turning the nickel and possibly the cobalt to a sulfide containing product 13 that can be processed further, for example in order to produce pure nickel. The solution obtained from the conversion step 11 is combined with the solution 6 obtained from the 20 conversion step 5 and returned to leaching 2. Example A method according to the invention was applied for copper-nickel sulfide ore 25 that contained as concentrate 14.7 % by weight copper, 2.6 % by weight nickel, 30.5 % by weight sulfur and 138 ppm palladium and 39 ppm platinum. A total amount of 230 t concentrate was fed to the leaching step. The leaching was carried out as atmospheric leaching at the temperature of 800 C. From the leaching step, there were obtained 95 t solids going to the conversion step, as 30 well as a solution having a copper content of 32 t and a nickel content of 6 t. A quantity of 16 t chalcopyrite concentrate (CuFeS 2 ) was fed to the conversion step for turning the copper into sulfide form. By means of conversion, there was WO 2005/007901 PCT/F2004/000452 7 obtained 50 t CuxS concentrate that contained precious metals, 9 kg platinum and 32 kg palladium, as well as 0.1 t nickel. The rest of the nickel was contained in the solution that was partly returned to the leaching step and partly conducted to nickel recovery in a new conversion step. Thus the ore that 5 originally contained a lot of nickel in sulfide form was concentrated to a concentrate containing a lot of copper, which concentrate can be used as feed in the further refining of copper.
Claims (15)
1. A method for processing sulfide ores containing precious metals, such as copper ores containing nickel, characterized in that the ore or concentrate (1) 5 containing the precious metals is leached (2), and the iron contained in the solution is neutralized in oxidizing conditions by means of a ferrous recirculation solution (6) recirculated to the leach, and that the solution (8) from the leaching step and at least part of the solution residue is conducted to a conversion step (5), where iron bearing sulfide (9) is fed for turning the copper contained in the 10 conversion step to copper sulfide concentrate (10) containing the precious metals, and that the solution (6) obtained from the conversion step is partly recirculated to the preceding leaching step (2) and partly conducted to the further treatment (11) of the components contained in the solution. 15
2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a sulfate based solvent is used in the leaching (2).
3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a chloride based solvent is used in the leaching (2). 20
4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a combination of a sulfate based and chloride based solvent is used in the leaching (2).
5. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the 25 leaching (2) is carried out as atmospheric leaching at the temperature of 50 1050 C.
6. A method according to any of the preceding claims 1 - 4, characterized in that the leaching (2) is carried out as autoclave leaching. 30
7. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conversion step (5) is carried out at the temperature of 90 - 2000 C. WO 2005/007901 PCT/F2004/000452 9
8. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the conversion step (5) is carried out at the temperature of 150 - 1900 C. 5
9. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that part of the solution (6) obtained from the conversion step (5) is conducted to at least one further conversion step (11) for turning the components contained in the solution into sulfidic form in the presence of an iron bearing sulfide.
10 10. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that part of the solution (6) obtained from the conversion step (5) is conducted to a new further conversion step that is carried out for sulfidizing nickel.
11. A method according to any of the preceding claims 1 - 9, characterized in 15 that part of the solution obtained from the conversion step (5) is conducted to a new further conversion step that is carried out for sulfidizing cobalt.
12. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sulfide material used in the conversion (5) is the same material as the 20 material going to leaching.
13. A method according to any of the preceding claims 1 - 11, characterized in that the sulfide material used in the conversion (5) is a different material than the material going to leaching. 25
14. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least part of the precious metal containing leaching residue (13) of the leaching step is conducted to a further conversion step that is carried out for sulfidizing nickel. 30 WO 2005/007901 PCT/F12004/000452 10
15. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the leaching step (2) and the conversion step (5) are controlled at least partly by means of mineral-specific potentials, impedance values or content values.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
FI20031084A FI116683B (en) | 2003-07-17 | 2003-07-17 | Process for the treatment of sulphide ores containing precious metals |
FI20031084 | 2003-07-17 | ||
PCT/FI2004/000452 WO2005007901A1 (en) | 2003-07-17 | 2004-07-14 | Method for processing sulfide ores containing precious metals |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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AU2004257844A1 true AU2004257844A1 (en) | 2005-01-27 |
AU2004257844B2 AU2004257844B2 (en) | 2010-02-11 |
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WO2005007901A1 (en) | 2005-01-27 |
EA009453B1 (en) | 2007-12-28 |
FI20031084A (en) | 2005-01-18 |
TR200600099T2 (en) | 2006-07-21 |
FI116683B (en) | 2006-01-31 |
BRPI0412693B1 (en) | 2012-10-02 |
EA200501909A1 (en) | 2006-08-25 |
CN1823171A (en) | 2006-08-23 |
CA2530355A1 (en) | 2005-01-27 |
CA2530355C (en) | 2013-04-09 |
FI20031084A0 (en) | 2003-07-17 |
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