The potential region in which chalcopyrite dissolves during
the oxidative leaching of the mineral in ferric sulphate solutions
has been established. These results have been modelled using an
extended mixed-potential description of the system. The initial
stages of the dissolution process have been studied using a
chalcopyrite disk and a platinum ring electrode held at appropriate
potentials for the detection of ferrous and cupric ions. These
experiments have shown that the initial stages of oxidation of the
mineral involve the formation of soluble sulphur species in addition
to elemental sulphur. The ring-disk experiments are generally
consistent with thiosulphate as this species. The effectof potential
and various ratios of ferric to ferrous ions on the rate has been
investigated by both electrochemical and chemical analysis
techniques. The role of non-oxidative dissolution in the leaching
of chalcopyrite has been explored and it has been shown that the
initial rate of non-oxidative dissolution is significant and could
exceed the oxidative rate at long leach times.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/221741 |
| Date | January 2001 |
| Creators | María Isabel Lázaro-Báez |
| Publisher | Murdoch University |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://www.murdoch.edu.au/goto/CopyrightNotice, Copyright María Isabel Lázaro-Báez |
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