Autoclave leaching of activated pyrhotite concentrate

Phase transformations of mechanically activated bornite in autoclave oxidative leaching

“…The sulfuric acid content in the original pulp was 5 g/liter and the solid to liquid ratio was 1:40. Under these conditions the degree of copper extraction into solution, which was taken as the criterion of bornite decomposition, was 50-55% and the relative sequence of the minerals in terms of their leaching rate was troilite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, bornite, chalcopyrite, cubanite, talnakhite, and pyrite.It was shown earlier [3] that CusFeS ~ oxidation accelerates appreciable in the bacterial leaching process after its preliminary mechanical activation.The purpose of this work was to clarify the effect of bornite treatment in a planetary mill on the mechanism of its autoclave oxidative leaching (AOL).It has been proved in recent years that similar treatment of pyrrhotite, pyrrhotite concentrate, and pentalandite alters their physicochemical proeprties markedly [4,5] and renders their autoclave leaching more effective [6,7]. The x-ray structural and thermal characteristics of bornite after its activation in an M-3 planetary mill (designed by S. I. Golosov) and the kinetics of its oxidation upon heating are also altered markedly [8,9].…”