Room-Temperature Copper Sulfide Leaching and Lime Neutralization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for extracting deleterious substances like uranium, fluoride, and thorium from copper sulfide concentrates are costly, require copper recovery, and lack a step to eliminate residual acidity, affecting the physicochemical quality during transportation, storage, and use.
Innovation Solution
A process involving acid leaching with sulfuric acid or aluminum sulfate at room temperature, followed by neutralization with hydrated lime, to selectively remove uranium, fluoride, and thorium without extracting copper, using simple equipment like tanks, thickeners, and filter presses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If acid leaching is performed at high temperature to extract deleterious substances, then the extraction efficiency of uranium, fluoride, and thorium is improved, but copper is also extracted requiring subsequent recovery which increases process cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high temperature (80°C) to room temperature (20°C), which fundamentally alters the leaching behavior to achieve selective extraction of deleterious substances without copper dissolution, thereby simplifying the process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies selective leaching where different minerals respond differently to the leaching conditions at room temperature. The deleterious substances (uranium, fluoride, thorium) are selectively extracted while copper minerals remain intact, creating local quality differentiation in the extraction process
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional acid leaching is used to reduce deleterious content, then the content of uranium, fluoride, and thorium is reduced, but residual acidity remains affecting physicochemical quality during transportation, storage and use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs neutralization as a preliminary action before transportation, storage, and use. By adding hydrated lime to adjust pH to neutral or slightly alkaline range, the process prevents future quality degradation that would occur if acidic leached concentrate were stored or transported
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by neutralizing the residual acidity that would otherwise cause harmful effects during subsequent handling. The hydrated lime counteracts the acidic environment, preventing oxidation and quality deterioration
3Manufacturing precision
If selective leaching processes are developed to extract penalty elements, then deleterious substance removal is improved, but the processes require complex equipment or expensive reagents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) as a neutralizing agent, which is a cheap, readily available material. This disposable reagent neutralizes residual acidity without requiring expensive equipment or complex recovery systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs common, readily available materials (sulfuric acid for leaching, hydrated lime for neutralization) that can be easily obtained from any chemical supply source, making the process self-sufficient and not dependent on specialized equipment or rare reagents
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Achieves significant reduction in uranium, fluoride, and thorium content, ensuring physicochemical stability and preventing penalties, opening new markets with low reagent consumption and minimal waste generation.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the ore concentrate to acid leaching to obtain the leached ore concentrate with reduced deleterious content and a leaching liquor
Implementation Method 2
Selective leaching of penalty elements from copper concentrates: A review
Implementation Method 3
subjecting the leached ore concentrate resulting from step i) to a process for reducing the internal residual acidity through washing with process water and/or neutralization with the addition of hydrated lime pulp
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a process of extracting deleterious substances from ore concentrates, preferably copper sulfides, with the aim of reducing the content of certain deleterious substances such as fluoride, uranium and/or thorium in said concentrates. The process comprises at least an acid leaching step and a step to reduce the internal residual acidity of the leached ore concentrate. The disclosure also refers to the physicochemical quality of the product obtained by this process route.