Chalcopyrite Leaching in Ammonia-Ammonium Chloride Solutions: Insight into the Dissolution Kinetic Studies

The hydrometallurgical method for processing chalcopyrite ore has gained enormous attention due to the environmental problems emanated by conventional pyrometallurgical route. Here, hydrometallurgy is considered an alternative that may be more of low-cost and environmentally friendly. Thus, alkaline leaching been effective, efficient, acceptable leachant dissolution. dissolution behaviour copper from low-grade mineral was examined in ammonia-ammonium chloride media. However, influence experimental conditions including alkali concentration, reaction temperature, particle size considered. At optimized (o.4 mol/L NH3-NH4Cl; 75 °C; 43 μm), 81.1% efficiency achieved within 120 minutes. mechanism with estimated activation energy (Ea)of 29.95 kJ/mol proposed diffusion control mechanism. Hence, rate affirmed analyzing raw un-leached residue using XRD SEM-EDS analyses possible industrial utilities.