LLC “Gipronickel” Institute

M. A. Lastochkina, Senior Researcher, e-mail: malas@nickel.spb.ru

T. V. Vergizova, Senior Researcher of a Laboratory of Hydrometallurgy

+T. N. Greyver

OJSC “Uralelectromed”

S. A. Mastugin, Chief Technologist of an Engineering Department

Saint Petersburg State Mining University

O. V. Zyryanova, Dean of a Chair of a Furnace Technologies and Energy Resource Processing

The authors present the results of the study of tellurium behavior in the process of slime pressure oxidizing leaching, produced by copper electro refining at JSC «Uralelectromed», and having complicated chemical and phase composition. There was studied the influence of temperature, oxygen partial pressure and the conditions of mass exchange in the unit on the kinetics of tellurium recovery. The studies show, that the process of copper electrolytic slime chalcogenides oxidization is quickly. Oxidative pressure leaching of the material for 1 hour at 105–120 ^oС, 0.1–0.3 MPa oxygen partial pressure, S:L = 5–6, and ~100 g/dm³ solution initial acidity ensures extraction in the solution about 95–98% of copper and 40–65% of tellurium. The tellurium extraction depends on mass exchange conditions, and is independent of the temperature and oxygen partial pressure. The experiment length increasing more than 1 hour does not make it possible to raise tellurium extraction. Basing on the experimental data analysis and on the results of the initial slime study, as well as on that of leaching products, carried out with the use of scanning electron microscopy methods, the authors offer the chemistry of copper electrolytic slime leaching. It was determined that the reason of tellurium low recovery during pressure leaching was its reprecipitation into cake in the form of complicated antimony compounds. This fact was earlier mentioned in scientific literature, but low content of these elements (Sb/Te < 1) in slime it did not significantly influenced Te recovery into solution. But when leaching slime with high antimony concentration (molar ratio Sb/Te > 2) this process influence on tellurium behavior becomes quite significant.

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