Chalcopyrite leaching with ionic liquid based on idimazolium, chloride and pyrite in an oxygenated medium

Abstract

Ionic liquids are green agents, which have very good properties such as low volatility, high conductivity, thermal stability and a wide range of working temperatures. These characteristics allow them to be installed in different industries and therefore be considered in hydrometallurgical processes. In the p resent work, the solution of pure chalcopyrite in the presence of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate [bmim]HSO4 is investigated, injecting oxygen into a chlorinated medium. The system is compared to another test under the same conditions, but wit hout oxygen injection. The results showed that an excess of dissolved oxygen in the system caused by a high injection of O2, can cause chalcopyrite passivation. The best Cu extraction with a value of 65.53% working at 80°C, with a reagent concentration of [bmim]HSO4 20% (v/v), without oxygen injection and using the complexing agent as chloride.