Abstract
Recently, the application of microwaves as a source of energy to the extractive industry has received particular attention from a large number of researchers. During the mid-1960s to 1988 most researches focused on the behavior of microwave radiant materials. These research activities continue to be important as long as the fundamental data on microwave interaction with materials is important for the successful application of technologies. This article presents the comparative cyanide tests of unprocessed and non-fired pyrite as well as the technical indicators obtained in these tests. After performing comparative cyanidation tests on unroasted and roasted pyrites at 400 and 700oC it was found that there was no significant reduction in lime and cyanide consumption for roasted pyrite at 400oC but for the roasted pyrite at 700oC the consumption of lime is reduced from 110 kg�t-1to 10 kg�t-1, cyanide is reduced from 2.8 kg�t-1 to 1.76 kg�t-1, and yields of leaching increase from 50 % for unroasted pyrite at 81 % for roasted pyrite.
Highlights
Compared with pyrometallurgy-hydrometallurgical extraction of metals from their ores is potentially highly attractive
Metals can be obtained directly in pure form from leach solution or recovered from impure leach solution. Factors such as the relatively mild corrosion issues compared to refractory lining consumption in smelting operations; low temperature processing; low handling cost of leaching products; possibility of treatment of low-grade ores and the scale of operation make leaching more preferable than high temperature smelting
Sulphur roasting is an essential operation of the extraction processes of non-ferrous metals, especially as it is at the forefront of treatment schemes and it partly conditions the success of subsequent operations
Summary
Compared with pyrometallurgy-hydrometallurgical extraction of metals from their ores is potentially highly attractive This attractiveness is attributed to economic, environmental, and technical reasons. Metals can be obtained directly in pure form from leach solution or recovered from impure leach solution. Factors such as the relatively mild corrosion issues compared to refractory lining consumption in smelting operations; low temperature processing; low handling cost of leaching products; possibility of treatment of low-grade ores and the scale of operation make leaching more preferable than high temperature smelting. Some problems may arise during hydro-metallurgical operations These include: low recovery of extracted metal, difficulties in solid-liquid separation and effect of impurities on the ease of purification. The principal disadvantage of hydrometallurgical operations is probably the process times required to achieve high metal recovery since these processes are often carried out at low temperatures compared to pyrometallurgical processes
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