Extraction of Iron and Other Metals from Copper Tailings through Leaching
Currently, mining operations have increased the generation of tailings, which contain a variety of elements that can be valorized. In this research, tailing samples were leached with hydrochloric acid of concentrations greater than 3 M, considering the monitoring of iron, copper, aluminum, calcium a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Metals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/12/11/1924 |
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| author | Lidia E. Santibáñez-Velásquez Alexis Guzmán Mauricio J. Morel |
| author_facet | Lidia E. Santibáñez-Velásquez Alexis Guzmán Mauricio J. Morel |
| author_sort | Lidia E. Santibáñez-Velásquez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Currently, mining operations have increased the generation of tailings, which contain a variety of elements that can be valorized. In this research, tailing samples were leached with hydrochloric acid of concentrations greater than 3 M, considering the monitoring of iron, copper, aluminum, calcium and magnesium, as relevant elements of the leached solution. Time and temperature were also studied. The original tailing sample was taken by trial pits, and a size distribution analysis was performed. The process generated an insoluble solid, rich in aluminosilicates, and an acid liquid solution with different metal ions. Elemental analyses were performed on liquid samples by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), and solid samples by Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Results showed an increasing trend of the iron concentration as a function of the acid concentration. However, copper is not affected by the change in acid concentration, but by time and temperature. Aluminum decreases with acid concentration, keeps constant with time, and yields at 50 °C. In the range of the studied parameters, calcium and magnesium showed a variation without a clear trend. The elements in the acid solution prepared with a tailing from northern Chile can be recovered for subsequent applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:50:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ab01cfc6393b46789ec51943fdf4227f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4701 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:50:12Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Metals |
| spelling | doaj.art-ab01cfc6393b46789ec51943fdf4227f2023-11-24T05:53:19ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012022-11-011211192410.3390/met12111924Extraction of Iron and Other Metals from Copper Tailings through LeachingLidia E. Santibáñez-Velásquez0Alexis Guzmán1Mauricio J. Morel2Departamento de Ingeniería en Metalurgia, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Atacama, Copiapó 1531772, ChileDepartamento de Ingeniería en Metalurgia, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Atacama, Copiapó 1531772, ChileDepartamento de Química y Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad de Atacama, Copiapó 1531772, ChileCurrently, mining operations have increased the generation of tailings, which contain a variety of elements that can be valorized. In this research, tailing samples were leached with hydrochloric acid of concentrations greater than 3 M, considering the monitoring of iron, copper, aluminum, calcium and magnesium, as relevant elements of the leached solution. Time and temperature were also studied. The original tailing sample was taken by trial pits, and a size distribution analysis was performed. The process generated an insoluble solid, rich in aluminosilicates, and an acid liquid solution with different metal ions. Elemental analyses were performed on liquid samples by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), and solid samples by Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Results showed an increasing trend of the iron concentration as a function of the acid concentration. However, copper is not affected by the change in acid concentration, but by time and temperature. Aluminum decreases with acid concentration, keeps constant with time, and yields at 50 °C. In the range of the studied parameters, calcium and magnesium showed a variation without a clear trend. The elements in the acid solution prepared with a tailing from northern Chile can be recovered for subsequent applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/12/11/1924copper tailingleachingvalorization |
| spellingShingle | Lidia E. Santibáñez-Velásquez Alexis Guzmán Mauricio J. Morel Extraction of Iron and Other Metals from Copper Tailings through Leaching Metals copper tailing leaching valorization |
| title | Extraction of Iron and Other Metals from Copper Tailings through Leaching |
| title_full | Extraction of Iron and Other Metals from Copper Tailings through Leaching |
| title_fullStr | Extraction of Iron and Other Metals from Copper Tailings through Leaching |
| title_full_unstemmed | Extraction of Iron and Other Metals from Copper Tailings through Leaching |
| title_short | Extraction of Iron and Other Metals from Copper Tailings through Leaching |
| title_sort | extraction of iron and other metals from copper tailings through leaching |
| topic | copper tailing leaching valorization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/12/11/1924 |
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