A Method for Arsenic and Copper Removal from Acidic Effluents Released by Copper Smelters
Some of effluents released by copper smelting plants are highly acidic (pH = 0～1) and contain arsenic and copper in relatively high concentrations (10～20 g/L).Usually arsenic is removed by precipitation with different reagents,such as lime,iron salts,calcium salts,aluminium salts,etc.Precipitates (often voluminous) that require further handling are formed and copper and other valuable components are lost.A method is presented for copper and arsenic extraction from acidic effluents.Effluents are treated in specially designed closed electrochemical cell without chemicals addition.Gases formed are collected and treated for decomposing the eventual traces of As-bearing compounds and ensuring the environment protection.Initially copper of grade of 85 % is electro-won.Further about half of the initially available arsenic is separated as low-soluble,low volume mixture of intermetallic compounds,oxides and some elemental arsenic.At the next stage the main part of the left arsenic is immobilized as low soluble stable compound.Arsenic content in the treated acid is in the range 0.20～0.25 g/L.Acidity of treated effluent after first two stages remains practically unchanged and the solution can be re-used.Physicochemical and electrochemical processes,governing copper and arsenic removal,are discussed.
Arsenic Copper Electrochemical
M.I.Panayotova V.T.Panayotov
University of Mining and Geology,Sofia,Bulgaria
国际会议
XXIV International Mineral Processing Congress(第24届国际矿物加工大会)
北京
英文
3899-3903
2008-09-24（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）