Sulphuric Acid Bake-Leach Process for the Treatment of Mixed Copper-Cobalt Oxide Ores

Abstract

A sulphuric acid bake–leach method for the treatment of mixed copper-cobalt oxide minerals was investigated as an alternative to the reductive leaching method. Sulphuric acid bake-leach process of the mixed copper-cobalt oxide ore was carried out by mixing the sample with sulphuric acid followed by baking of the mixture in a muffle furnace. Baking tests were conducted at different conditions such as temperature, time, and varying amounts of acid. The reacted samples were then subjected to water leaching at room temperature to determine the leachability of copper and cobalt from the baked material. The dissolutions of copper and cobalt were dependent on acid concentration with cobalt showing more sensitivity to the amount of acid. Both copper and cobalt were extracted from the baked material within short leaching times and without the addition of reducing agents. The outcome of this work has shown that the sulphuric acid bake-leach process is a possible alternative to the reductive leaching method for copper-cobalt oxide ores.