Studying Kinetics of Arsenic Recovery from Copper Dross by Alkaline Sulfide Leaching

Abstract

Copper dross are produced by rough decopperizing of blast furnace lead bullion. During liquation separation of copper dross from lead bullion most of arsenic and copper are concentrated in copper dross, arsenic content is approximately 4% As. Currently the processes for arsenic recovery from copper dross are understudied. In this work the focus is given to studying kinetics of the process for recovering arsenic from copper dross by alkaline-sulfide leaching. Alkaline sulfide leaching allows carrying out selective removal of arsenic into solution, keeping at this non-ferrous and precious metals in leaching residue. The studied method of alkaline sulfide leaching of copper dross provides backgrounds for developing technology that would allow processing of copper dross with selective arsenic removal from lead production cycle. By minimizing circulation of this harmful impurity in lead production it is possible to lessen destructive effect of its aggressive compounds on smelting-units refractory. Kinetics of alkaline sulfide leaching of copper dross was understudied up to date. This work is an attempt to fill the gap.