Solvent Extraction
Please submit Question 4 for marking
Question 1
A copper leach liquor containing 3g/l of Cu (II) ions is subjected to solvent extraction using LIX
84 dissolved in kerosene. The final concentration of Cu in the oil phase and aqueous phase are
10 and 1g/l respectively. The volumes of the oil and aqueous phase are 1 and 5 litres
respectively.
i) Define the distribution ratio D as used in solvent extraction
ii) Calculate the distribution ratio using the information above
Question 2
i) By use of an equation, illustrate the mechanism by which chelating extractants remove
metal ions from aqueous solutions.
ii) Briefly indicate why chelating extractants are the preferred solvent extraction reagents
for the separation of Cu ions from a solution containing iron ions and suggest conditions
that will favor copper loading onto the organic phase and the subsequent stripping back
into the aqueous phase.
Question 3
A pilot plant is set up to treat copper leach liquor by solvent extraction prior to electrowinning.
The copper leach liquor containing 1g/L of Cu2+, 3g/L Fe3+ at pH 2.2, is subjected to
countercurrent solvent extraction using LIX 64 dissolved in kerosene. The organic solvent feed
is assumed to be barren i.e. a fresh solvent feed and the loaded phase contains 2gpl Cu2+.
The table below represents the data for the operation.
Aqueous(gpl) Organic(gpl)
Cu2+ Fe3+ Cu2+ Fe3+
Feed(gpl) 1.00 3.00 0 0
Vol(ml)
Aq. Org.
30 60 0.028 2.85 0.486 0.075
30 30 0.079 2.9 0.921 0.100
30 15 0.186 2.9 1.628 0.200
30 7.5 0.490 2.8 2.040 0.800
30 3.75 0.740 3.00 2.080 0.00
i) With the aid of a McCabe-Thiele diagram estimate the raffinate concentration after two
stages of extraction.
ii) What can be said of the extraction of Fe3+ by LIX 64 and what are the implications (if any)
for the subsequent electrowinning of copper?
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Question 4
A solvent extraction circuit for copper is to be designed to treat a solution from heap leach
liquor. A hydroxime reagent is to be used as an 8% vol solution in kerosene. The feed to the
extraction circuit is as solution containing 5.3g/L Cu2+ and Fe(III) as the main impurity. In a
laboratory experiment the following equilibrium data was obtained for the solvent extraction
of copper from the leach liquor.
Aqueous conc g/L Cu Organic conc g/L Cu
0.25 0.25
0.5 0.85
0.87 2.00
1.30 3.00
2.50 5.22
3.50 6.45
4.10 6.95
5.00 7.50
The organic solvent entering the extraction circuit is free of copper. Assume perfect mixing and
phase separation in each of the extraction stages. Answer the following:
i) What is the purpose of the kerosene?
ii) By using the data in the table construct a relevant McCabe- Thiele diagram and solve
graphically for the number of extraction stages required to obtain a raffinate concentration
of 0.5g/L Cu given that the aqueous/organic ratio is 3:2. You can use excel or graph paper to
construct your diagram.
iii) Assume that the heap leach solution will be pumped to the solvent extraction plant at a rate
of 6000L/min and assuming a contact time of 2minutes calculate the capacity of the mixers
required.
iv) Ferric irons are involved in the heap leaching of low grade copper ores. Give two reasons
why it is uneconomical to electrowin copper directly from a leach solution that bypasses (i.e.
is not sent to) the solvent extraction circuit.
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