Abstract
The study focused on leaching complex copper–cobalt oxide ore from Zebesha Mine in Zambia. The chemical analysis indicated the presence of cobalt, copper, nickel, manganese and iron as base metals. Copper is predominantly found in malachite and a small portion in heterogenite mineral along with cobalt, iron, manganese and nickel. The leaching process involved using solutions containing iron: ferrous sulphate, FeSO4·7H2O; ferrous ammonium sulphate, (NH4)2Fe(SO4)2·6H2O; and ferric sulphate, Fe2(SO4)3. The effects of temperature and salt concentrations were studied alongside metal content determination through titration-atomic absorption spectroscopy techniques. It was observed that the preferential dissolution of copper occurred with Fe2 (SO4)3 while temperatures above 70°C leaching with FeSO4·7H2O resulted in the recovery of over 80% of manganese and cobalt. This study suggests that ferrous containing lixiviants can effectively promote the manganese and cobalt dissolution but are not efficient for extracting copper. Furthermore, using Fe2(SO4)3 may allow for selective leaching of copper.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy: Transactions of the Institutions of Mining and Metallurgy
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
