Hydrometallurgy

HYDROMETALLURGY
REPORT NO. 6
COPPER RECOVERY PROCESSES:
CEMENTATION

MEMBERS:
ANGULO RAMOS, Hugo Alonso
CANCHARI ARROYO, Alex Wolder
LEÓN LUIS, Denilson

GROUP:
C1–3–B
PROFESSOR:
Huere Anaya, Luis Clemente
Week 1
Date of realization: September 19
Delivery date: September 27

2017–II

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INDEX
I. OBJECTIVES................................................................................................................................... 3
II. THEORETICAL FOUNDATION..............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
III. MATERIALS..............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
IV. PROCEDURE......................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
V. RESULTS.................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
VI. RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................................ 11
VII. CONCLUSIONS.........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
VIII. QUESTIONNAIRE .........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
IX. BIBLIOGRAPHY...........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

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I. OBJECTIVES

Apply copper cementation using iron scrap.

Determine how much iron scrap we need to weigh to cement the copper.
See the behavior of copper sulfate for a rusty nail and a non-rusty nail.
rusty.

II. JUSTIFICATION OF THE EXPERIMENT

EXPERIMENT 1:
In this experiment, copper cementation was carried out using a solution of
2 g/L of copper sulfate concentration to which a certain amount was added.
junk due to the concentration contained in the solution.
Sedimentation occurs due to a redox reaction in which
The copper solution will be reduced and the scrap will be oxidized through its potential.
due to the potential of Fe/Fe2+with a potential of 0.44V and that of Cu/Cu2+it is the
-0.34V, which indicates that iron has a greater oxidizing power than that of
copper has a reducing power.
Due to the fact that iron and/or steel has a positive potential or a greater power
the oxidant will dissolve in the copper sulfate solution, on the other hand the
Copper ions will be reduced to elemental copper.

2++ 2 − °=
( )→ 0.44 V
2++ 2 −→ °= 0.34V
( )

2+→ 2++ ° 0.78

( )+ ( ) V

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EXPERIMENT 2:
In this experiment, the different changes of each material could be observed.
data such as Zinc, Iron, and Nail which were subjected to a solution of 2 g/L of
copper sulfate.
In the case of Zinc, an immediate reaction was provoked due to the high potential that
It has to do with oxidizing, which is Zn/Zn.2+0.7626V and that of copper would be Cu/Cu2+
-0.34V, which will cause the oxidation effect to be immediate as the
potentials.
In the case of iron, it contained a blue film that served to
decrease the oxidation time of this, that is why this experiment
harder than the 2 and their potentials would be: Fe/Fe2+with a potential of 0.44V and the
of Cu/Cu2+es el de -0.34V.
In the case of the nail, it contains alloys and the iron content is a bit
smaller due to the time it took, the oxidation of the nail was a bit
faster than that of iron and their potentials would be: Fe/Fe2+with the
potential of 0.44V and that of Cu/Cu2+it is -0.34V.

Image 1: Iron in copper sulfate solution.

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Image 2: Nail in copper solution

Image 3: Zinc in copper sulfate solution

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III. PROCEDURE

CEMENTATION

Prepare the solution of 1:3 (300ml of

acid and 900ml of water

Place in the stirring equipment

along with the shavings

Constantly shake the solution

with 600 to 700 RPM

Determine the acidity at 10 minutes,

20min, 30min

Solid copper detachment,

on the part of the iron shavings

Obtaining copper precipitate

Filtramos

We dried the sample obtained from

copper

Finally, we obtain Cu(S)

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IV. RESULT

Laboratory data
Concentration of CuSO42 g/L
Volume of solution extracted from the bucket: 400 mL

In order to find the concentration of the leachate solution, different methods were used.
standards, solutions of different concentrations were prepared in order to find the
respective coloration of our solution, when comparing the color of the solution with the
standards we can find the concentration of our solution, which in this case
it was 2 g/L.
Determination of the mass of iron (scrap) for the experiment:
Knowing that the reaction that will occur is:
Cu2++ Fe Cu + Fe2+
We need to find the relationship of the masses in order to place the necessary scrap.
with the help of the following formula this can be done:

+ + → =
.

= ∗
.

= ∗ . ∗
.

= . ( )
To know the mass of scrap that will be used, the value must be multiplied by 3.
theoretical (this has to be done as a preventive measure, since we want the iron
do not be necessary at the time of reacting with the copper ion.

( ) = ∗ ( )
( ) = . ( )

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Calculations regarding the concentration of copper sulfate

Time (minutes) pH Acid strength (g/L)

0 1.64 7.252

15 1.84 7.154

30 2.09 6.270

45 2.28 6.174

Weight of the settled mineral: 3.78 g

Scrap weight (iron): 2.116 g
Theoretical weight of copper: 1.664 g

Determination of the acidic strength of the copper sulfate solution

Time 0 (start)
Alícuota= 5 mL (para todas las medidas)
. ∗
=
.
. ( . )
=

= .

Time 15
. ∗
=
.
. ( . )
=

= .

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Time 30

. ∗
=
.
. ( . )
=

= .

Time 45
. ∗
=
.
. ( . )
=

= .

Graph of time vs Acid strength found

Time vs Acid Strength

7.4
7.2
7
6.8
6.6
Time vs Acid Strength
6.4
6.2
6
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time (minutes)

The acidic strength decreases over time, this wants to indicate to us that as time passes
Over time, the acid is consumed and the iron sulfate solution is formed.

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The efficiency of cementation is calculated
With the difference between the initial and final weights, we can find the copper.
(theoretically) metallic that was formed.

%= ∗

.
%= ∗
.
%= .

The cementation process involves the precipitation by reduction of one metal by another.
so taking this premise, it can be predicted in terms of the electrode potential, that the
Fe/Fe2+ with a potential of 0.44 and Cu/Cu2+ is -0.34, indicating that Fe is more active.
that Cu will dissolve, while Cu is more noble and will precipitate. The reactions that occur
son

( )→ 2+ + 2 − = -0.34

( )→ 2+ + 2 − 0.44

Since iron has a more positive potential, it will dissolve anodically, while the
cathodic process will be the dissolution of 2+ a ( ) metallic. Then we will have:

( )→ 2+ + 2 − = 0.44

2+ + 2 − → ( ) 0.34
And adding up it results:

( )+ 2+ → ( )+ 2+ +0.78 v

For experiment 2
The nail is made of iron in solid state, in the copper sulfate solution, the Cu2+ ions
they react with the iron in the nails, undergoing an oxidation-reduction reaction in which the
copper is reduced to metallic copper precipitating on the surface of the nail, for this reason it can
observe the reddish color, and the metallic iron transitions to Fe2+ ions in the solution forming the sulfate
of iron. When shaking the test tube, the precipitated copper detaches from the nail returning to
reform again. The hydronium ions in the solution can also be reduced to hydrogen.
bubbles are released due to another oxidation-reduction reaction with iron. When these are lost
hydronium ions of the solution, the pH increases and this can affect the main redox reaction that
it is the copper and iron causing the copper to dissolve. Oxygen can also affect.
similarly this reaction, in this case, when reacting with the acid of the solution and the
copper precipitate dissolving it and forming water.

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Copper control essay:

product Volume or weight Laws Cu Content

Copper cement 1.66 g 82.80 -90% 1.3612 g

Solution barren 420 mL 0.42 g/L 0.42

Initial solution 400 mL <2 g/L < 2 grams

V. CONCLUSIONS
Cementation was applied to the scrap iron, causing the iron to
the oxidizer and the copper sulfate would be reduced to copper.
The amount of scrap added to the sulfuric acid could be determined thanks to the
formula expressed in the results section and thanks to the concentration
we were able to obtain approximately 2.109 g of scrap to make the
cementation.

VI. RECOMENDACIONES
Always maintain the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times during the experience.
laboratory, because we will be working with different acids and bases which
they can become corrosive.
Always maintain a constant agitation in the beaker at an RPM
approximately between 600–700.
Always keep the agitator's helix in conjunction with the amount of scrap.
that was added to the beaker but is not at the level of the surface
of this.
Maintain good cleanliness in the laboratory and with the materials used
due to the thousands of interferents that could occur and that the acid that
let's not act in an acceptable way.

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VII. QUESTIONNAIRE

Is it technically and economically possible to carry out copper cementation with

zinc powder? Why?
Yes, it is possible because zinc has a higher oxidation potential than copper.
that it tends to rust easily. This cementation can be technically
possible due to the large surface area that powdered zinc may have (greater kinetics and
extraction). But it is not economically possible, since Fe is cheaper and
easy to obtain, which is why Fe is used in most cementation processes.

2. ¿Cuál es el consumo teórico de fierro en Kg por Kg de cobre recuperado y cuál

What is industrial consumption? Why this difference?
Technical iron consumption (kg of iron) / (kg of Copper) = 55.85 / 63.54 = 0.88kg
Iron or each kilogram of recovered copper (precipitated). Industrial consumption, this
consumption varies between 1.25 to 2.5 kg of iron for every kilogram of precipitated copper.
The difference arises because in the PLS solution there is not only CuSO.4, but
There is also the consumption of other interferents, such as acid, zinc sulfates, etc.

3. What type of scrap is used at the industrial level?

Generally, scrap composed of iron, extracted from construction, is used.
the useless devices, this is because it is more profitable.

4. What pollutants or impurities does the obtained copper cement contain?

The pollutants and impurities that are usually found together with the coppers.
they are Fe, Al2O3, SiO2, and Zinc.

5. Estimate what the curves would look like when plotted:

Acidity of H2SO4 vs Time:
With the barren vs Time:
Cementing efficiency vs Time:
Acidity of H2SO4 vs Time:

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82

80

78

76

74

72

70
TIME
68
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Time vs Concentration

With in the bar vs Time:

82

80

78

76

74

72

70
TIME
68
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Time vs Concentration

Cementing efficiency vs Time:

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Efficiency vs Time
82
80
78
76
74
72
70
68
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Efficiency vs Time

6. Describe the following types of equipment used in concentration.

at the industrial level:

CANALS: It is based on the use of containers or troughs made of concrete with

wooden background. The base of these basins has a slope of 2%, which allows
the drainage of the solutions from one tip to another. In each of the
batteries are permanently added with scrap iron, and from the end of
At greater height, the solutions are continuously fed and drain towards the end.
of shorter height, maintaining permanent contact with the scrap, achieving that
cementation occurs.

ROTARY DRUMS: These devices were developed in Germany in the

1960s, and they are known as 'fall-trommels'. Each reactor of these teams
it is made up of a closed cylindrical steel bottle with one end semi-
spherical. Its capacity reaches 33 cubic meters and has an inclined axis to
about 25 degrees above the horizontal. In turn, the reactor has the
mechanisms necessary to rotate slowly around the axis at 0.3 rpm, similar to the
rotation maintained by the trucks that transport cement. The great advantage of
These reactors in relation to the use of the troughs manage to maintain the scrap.
in constant motion, causing the deposited copper to detach
continuously generating new precipitation surfaces and thus being able to
achieve great returns

KENNECOTT CONICAL PRECIPITATOR: This type of equipment was developed by the

Kennecott Copper Co. By the mid-1960s. The device consists of

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a pond of about 4 meters in diameter and about 7 meters in height, inside of the
which is mounted an inverted cone with a diameter of 3 meters and 3 meters of
high. The outer pond has a 45° slope at its bottom, internally.
from one of its sides to the opposite one. This pond inside it carries a
inverted cone with a slope towards the center, whose bottom is made of steel
stainless steel closed, and its top consists of an open mesh, also of
stainless steel, The copper extractions are above 95% and presents a
product with a minimum of pollutants.

VIBRATING MILLS: Cylindrical, horizontal reactors of various

dimensions, initially made of wood with movement systems similar to
those of a ball mill, which rotate on their axis at a very low frequency,
corresponding to a turn every 3 to 5 minutes. Inside, the cylindrical
they present a protection system based on long-fiber wooden blocks, similar
next to the eucalyptus, placed one next to the other, with the direction of the fiber oriented
into the interior of the reactor. When it becomes damp, the wood swells, creating a seal
perfect for the contained liquid. A valve is located in the mantle of the cylinder.
To carry out the filling of scrap, a new shift is started each time.

7. What other application of cementation is known in the processes

metallurgists? Explain
There is another application of cementation using solid resins, in which its
the function is to soften the water, due to the presence of magnesium and calcium. Its
It works in that the small particles with a large surface area that
they extract magnesium and calcium and release sodium ions, thus softening the solutions
hard.

8. What are the fundamentals of the cementation process?

The pH of the solution must be taken into account because the level of acidity can be
lose due to the reduction of H ions+, harming our cementation.

The amount of iron to be worked depends on the amount of copper that is available.
dissolution.

The oxidation potential of the species to be treated must be taken into account, these
They will define the existence of impurities in our precipitate.

The cementation of copper occurs through a very simple chemical process that is the
Redox reactions: copper in ionic form tends to be reduced and leads to oxidation.
from iron, whether Fe2+the FeFe3+

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9. What function does faith serve?2+and the Faith3*In the cementation process? Justify.
your answer?
The ferric and ferrous ions aim for a reducing action since these
tends to oxidize a certain species that is in solution and is passing to
to participate, in the laboratory observing that the ferric will be reduced upon contact with
copper sulfate solutions and this when undergoing the reaction and oxidation process,
they formed the metallic copper that passed from Cu2+to a copper with a charge of one.

VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dominic M. Esteban. (31/08/2001). HIDROMETALURGIA. Santiago-Chile, Santa

Elena 1995: Generic Author-Editor.
Guiachetti Torres, D. (2011). Consumption of Sulfuric Acid and Kinetics of Leaching of a
[Link]://[Link]/handle/2250/104139
Navarro Patricio; Vargas Cristian and Ramírez Carlos. (2015). Effect of impurities
in the physicochemical properties of a mineral leaching solution of
copper. Available at [Link]

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