Cu extraction electrowinning
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I have a question: in hydrometallurgical processing, when the leachate contains Cu, at what level of Cu concentration is it worthwhile to carry out recovery? I would appreciate your guidance; please explain in detail
Concentration is one aspect; it’s also important to consider the amount of flux and the resources invested. It’s really rare to be able to remove impurities while simultaneously generating income
I suggest we talk about your flux first
:Sleepy: It’s possible to work with a level of 1 g/L; even levels a few tenths of a gram lower are acceptable. As long as the quantity is large, it has value
Generally, more than 10g is required, but concentrations below 10g can also be achieved through extraction, or turbulent electrolysis can be used. If it’s less than 3g, there is no value left for recycling, and a wastewater disposal fee must be paid
This is hard to define; it depends on your flux level When the throughput is high and the concentration is low, it is still necessary to recycle a large amount of copper metal. It also depends on what process and equipment you use to produce what product. It cannot be determined simply by discussing only concentration or only flux. Just my personal opinion, haha
On our end, at 0.15 g/l, extraction electrowinning is used, and the results are fairly good.
Indeed, large quantities make it possible to do it! Without a proper amount, even the highest concentration is useless!
I agree with your view; it mainly comes down to the overall amount, and efficiency matters
When the copper concentration in the leachate reaches 5 g/L, it is possible to use extractants for extraction and electrowinning; if it’s below 3 g/L, it’s not really worthwhile, as the costs of building the tanks and purchasing the extractants may not be offset by any profits