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INFLUENCE OF PH AND REDOX CONDITIONS ON COPPER LEACHING
Citation:
Kavanaugh**, R. G., S R. AlAbed*, J. Purandare, AND D Allen*. INFLUENCE OF PH AND REDOX CONDITIONS ON COPPER LEACHING. Presented at 227th American Chemical Society, National Meeting, Anaheim, CA, March 28 - April 01, 2004.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
Leaching behavior of metals from a mineral processing waste at varying pH and redox conditions was studies. Effect of combinations of pH and Eh on leaching of copper is described. Leaching of copper was found to be dependent on both pH and Eh. Higher concentrations of Cu were seen leaching at lower pH values than at higher. At lower pH values variation in copper leaching with changing redox conditions was minimal. Changing redox through aeration promoted leaching at pH values of 11 and 7 probably, due to interactions of Cu with carbonate and bicarbonate ions. Values in the range of 71-76 percent of copper, originally present in the waste, were recovered in the leachant at a pH of 3. Majority of leaching was found to occur within a short period of time indicating high initial rates of leaching/dissolution of copper in the waste. These experiments highlight the important of use of different pH-Eh conditions in studying the leaching behavior of different metals.