Recuperación del cobalto mediante la lixiviación con ácido tartárico de una mena laterítica fuera de balance cubana

Abstract

With the knowledge accumulated today on the perspectives of the bioleaching in the treatment of the lateritic ores of low law and the main limitations of the conventional technologies for treating these minerals, the leaching process is evaluated with organic acid for the recovery of the cobalt present in minerals of low law in nickel. This is an option to keep in mind for the solution of the main socio-environmental and economic problems in the nickel Cuban industry today. In this work it is demonstrated that it is possible to recover around 90 % of the cobalt contained in the laterftic ores of low law in nickel in four days by means of the leaching with tartaric acid. Also the main physical-chemical parameters that influence this process are determined. The perspectives of the organic leaching in the treatment of out-of-balance minerals generated in the nickel.Cuban industry are analysed.