Recovery of Copper from Synthetic Leaching Solution of Manganese Nodule Matte by Solvent Extraction-electrowinning Process

A scale-up test with a continuous solvent extraction and electro-winning system was carried out to separate and recover copper from a synthetic sulfuric acid solution (Cu 10.5 g/L, Co 2.0 g/L, Ni 15.0 g/L, Fe 0.2 g/L). The solution was introduced into mixer-settlers with four stages of extraction and two stages of stripping for continuous countercurrent solvent extraction to separate copper from nickel and cobalt. The loading was carried out using 40% LIX 84-I(v/v) as extractant with a phase ratio of A : O = 1 : 1. Meanwhile, the stripping was undertaken at a phase ratio of A : O = 1 : 1.5 using depleted electrolyte containing 35.0 g/L Cu and 180 g/L $H_2SO_4$ as stripping solution. The extraction and stripping efficiencies were found to be 96.7% and 91.0%, respectively. The copper composition of the stripped solution (pregnant electrolyte) was 50.0 g/L Cu with impurities of 25 ppm nickel, 5 ppm cobalt and 3 ppm iron. In the electro-winning process, copper metal of 99.833 purity was yielded with current efficiency of 98.9% and current density of $1.50A/dm^2$.

망간단괴 매트상 모의 침출용액으로부터 용매추출-전해채취 공정에 의한 구리의 회수

망간단괴 매트상 침출액 조성으로 제조 된 모의 용액(Cu 10.5 g/L, Co 2.0 g/L, Ni 15.0 g/L, Fe 0.2 g/L)으로부터 용매추출-전해채취 연속공정을 통해 구리를 분리-회수하기 위하여 규모 확대용 용매추출장치인 6단 혼합-침강기(mixer-settler : 추출 4단, 탈거 2단)와 전해조를 이용하였다. 용매추출의 경우 추출제로는 40%(v/v)의 LIX 84I, 탈거용액은 전해폐액(Cu 35.0 g/L, $H_2SO_4$ 180 g/L)을 사용하였으며 추출단과 탈거단의 O/A 비는 각각 1/1과 1.5/1 이었다. 용매추출공정의 구리의 추출율과 탈거율은 각각 96.7%와 91.0%이었으며 탈거액(전해액)의 구리, 니켈, 코발트 그리고 철의 농도는 각각 50~51 g/L, 25 ppm, 5 ppm 그리고 3 ppm 이었다. 전해채취공정은 $1.50A/dm^2$의 전류밀도에서 98.9%의 전류효율을 나타내었으며, 99.833% 순도의 금속 구리를 얻었다.