Characterization and kinetic study on ammonia leaching of complex copper ore

Ammonia leaching kinetics of a complex Cu-ore assaying 8.8% Cu and 36.1% Fe was examined. Mineralogical characterization indicated that the major phase of the ore was siderite with chalcopyrite as the major sulfide mineral. The effects of parameters such as agitation, temperature, NH3 concentration, particle size and oxygen partial pressure (pO2) were investigated. Under the standard leaching conditions of 125-212 µm particle size, 120 °C, 1.29 mol/L NH3 and 202 kPa of pO2, about 83% Cu could be selectively extracted in 2.5 h. However, when using higher NH3 concentration and lower particle size, more than 95% extraction was achieved. The leaching process was found to be surface reaction controlling. The estimated activation energy was (37.6±1.9) kJ/mol and empirical orders of reaction with respect to pO2 and [NH3] were about 0.2 and 1, respectively.