Application of ecofrendly oxidant ferrate(vi) in the metallurgical processes of copper extraction

Abstract

This works deals with investigation the efficiency of sodium ferrate, Na 2 FeO 4 , obtained by the elec-trochemical oxidation, as coagulation and flocculation agent for purification of wastewater from the electrolytic refining process from the Bor Copper Refinery and Copper Smelter Plant of the Mining and Smelting Combine Bor. Removal of heavy metals and selenium by barium ferrate in aqueous solutions could be possible up to: 100 % for Cu, 97.18 % for As, 98.37 % for Sb and 6.06 % for Se using fer-rate(VI) in the ratio M : Fe(VI) = 1:12. Also, the efficiency dependence of copper sulphide ore leaching from concentrate by the oxidation of copper sulfide and chalcopyrite with ferrate(VI) on the sulphuric acid concentration was investigated in this work. It is found that leaching of copper from vthe copper sulfide concentrate, carried out by fer-rate(VI), proceeds easily due to the efficient oxidation of sulfide and sulfur, in respect of the classical acid process that usually needs the addition of strong oxidant, such as oxygen or hydrogen peroxide, to increase the process productivity.