Chalcopyrite concentrate leaching with biologically produced ferric sulphate.

Biological ferric iron production was combined with ferric sulphate leaching of chalcopyrite concentrate and the effects of pH, Fe3+, temperature and solids concentration on the leaching were studied. The copper leaching rates were similar at pH of 1.0-1.8 and in the presence of 7-90 g L-1 Fe3+ despite massive iron precipitation with 90 g L-1 Fe3+. Increase of the leaching temperature from 50 degrees C to 86 degrees C and solids concentration from 1% to 10% increased the copper leaching rate. Increase in solids concentration from 1% to 10% decreased the copper yields from 80% to 40%. Stepwise addition of ferric iron did not improve the copper yields. CuFeS2, Ag and Cu1.96S potentials indicated the formation of a passivating layer, which consisted of jarosite and sulphur precipitates and which was responsible for the decreased leaching rates.

Optimization of metal sulphide precipitation in fluidized-bed treatment of acidic wastewater.

Sulphate-reducing biofilm and suspension processes were studied for treatment of synthetic wastewater containing sulphate, zinc and iron. With lactate supplemented wastewater with 170-230mg/l Zn and 58mg/l Fe, the following precipitation rates were obtained: 250 and 350mg/l d for Zn in fluidized-bed (FBR) and upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors, respectively, and 80mg/l d for Fe in both reactors with hydraulic retention time of 16h. The effluent Zn and Fe concentrations remained at less than 0.1 mg/l. The alkalinity produced in lactate oxidation increased the initial pH of 2.5-3, resulting in effluent pH of 7.5-8.5. The highest sulphate reduction rate was over 2000 mg/l d. In terms of sulphate reduction, hydrogen sulphide production and effluent alkalinity, the start-up of the FBR with the 10% fluidization rate was superior to the FBRs with 20-30% fluidization rates. With increased loading rates, high recycling rate became an advantage. After process failure caused by intentional overloading, the sulphate reduction partially recovered within 2 weeks. Metal precipitates in the reactors were predominantly FeS2, ZnS and FeS. The metal mass balance was as follows: 73-86% of Zn and Fe accumulated into the reactors and water level adjustors, 14-23% of the metals were washed out as precipitates and 0.05-0.15% remained as soluble metals. Biomass yield in the sulphate-reducing processes was 0.039-0.054g dry biomass (VS or VSS) per g of lactate oxidized or 0.035-0.074g dry biomass per g of sulphate reduced. The results of this work demonstrate that the lactate supplemented sulphate-reducing processes precipitated the metals as sulphides and neutralized the acidity of the synthetic wastewater.