Abstract
The global copper industry faces a technological challenge to develop processing schemes for more complex and impure ores and concentrates. Group 15 elements (As, Sb, and Bi) represent impurities that are troublesome both in terms of environmental impact and metallurgical processing. The so-call "dirty" copper concentrates are either unacceptable for smelting and refining or incur high penalties. The behavior of the Group 15 elements is of critical importance in maintaining product quality and process performance. During copper electrorefining, these impurities are released to the electrolyte by electrochemical dissolution of the anode. Depending mainly on temperature, concentration, and oxidation state these elements can spontaneously coprecipitate from the electrolyte. Some of these precipitates are referred to as floating slimes and their formation can have extremely detrimental effects on cathode purity. In this paper, the mechanism of floating slimes formation will be discussed and the fundamental thermochemistry will be reviewed and analyzed in relation to solubility properties.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | TMS Annual Meeting |
| Pages | 101-112 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| State | Published - 2012 |
| Event | T.T. Chen Honorary Symposium on Hydrometallurgy, Electrometallurgy and Materials Characterization - TMS 2012 Annual Meeting and Exhibition - Orlando, FL, United States Duration: Mar 11 2012 → Mar 15 2012 |
Other
| Other | T.T. Chen Honorary Symposium on Hydrometallurgy, Electrometallurgy and Materials Characterization - TMS 2012 Annual Meeting and Exhibition |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| City | Orlando, FL |
| Period | 3/11/12 → 3/15/12 |
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Keywords
- Antimony
- Arsenic
- Bismuth
- Copper refining
- Floating slimes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Mechanics of Materials
- Metals and Alloys
Cite this
Mechanism and thermodynamics of floating slimes formation. / Hiskey, J Brent.
TMS Annual Meeting. 2012. p. 101-112.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
}
TY - GEN
T1 - Mechanism and thermodynamics of floating slimes formation
AU - Hiskey, J Brent
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - The global copper industry faces a technological challenge to develop processing schemes for more complex and impure ores and concentrates. Group 15 elements (As, Sb, and Bi) represent impurities that are troublesome both in terms of environmental impact and metallurgical processing. The so-call "dirty" copper concentrates are either unacceptable for smelting and refining or incur high penalties. The behavior of the Group 15 elements is of critical importance in maintaining product quality and process performance. During copper electrorefining, these impurities are released to the electrolyte by electrochemical dissolution of the anode. Depending mainly on temperature, concentration, and oxidation state these elements can spontaneously coprecipitate from the electrolyte. Some of these precipitates are referred to as floating slimes and their formation can have extremely detrimental effects on cathode purity. In this paper, the mechanism of floating slimes formation will be discussed and the fundamental thermochemistry will be reviewed and analyzed in relation to solubility properties.
AB - The global copper industry faces a technological challenge to develop processing schemes for more complex and impure ores and concentrates. Group 15 elements (As, Sb, and Bi) represent impurities that are troublesome both in terms of environmental impact and metallurgical processing. The so-call "dirty" copper concentrates are either unacceptable for smelting and refining or incur high penalties. The behavior of the Group 15 elements is of critical importance in maintaining product quality and process performance. During copper electrorefining, these impurities are released to the electrolyte by electrochemical dissolution of the anode. Depending mainly on temperature, concentration, and oxidation state these elements can spontaneously coprecipitate from the electrolyte. Some of these precipitates are referred to as floating slimes and their formation can have extremely detrimental effects on cathode purity. In this paper, the mechanism of floating slimes formation will be discussed and the fundamental thermochemistry will be reviewed and analyzed in relation to solubility properties.
KW - Antimony
KW - Arsenic
KW - Bismuth
KW - Copper refining
KW - Floating slimes
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84860729751&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
SN - 9781118291238
SP - 101
EP - 112
BT - TMS Annual Meeting
ER -