Enhancement of parameters for recovery of copper from malachite in acidic media

In this work, enhancement of parameters for recovery of copper from malachite ore (CuCO3 Cu(OH)2) by the effect of mechanical activation in acidic media, is studied. In the experiments the ore, mechanically activated for different periods (15, 30, 60 and 90 minutes) was used, thus the effects of mechanical activation, temperature, stirring speed as well as ammonium nitrate concentration on copper dissolution were investigated. Dissolution rate of the ore was observed to be increasing with increasing mechanical activation time, leach time, ammonium nitrate concentration and stirring speed. Additionally, the increase in mechanical activation time became an inhibiting factor for the increase in dissolution rate, since it induced agglomeration. Dissolution of the malachite ore, subjected to 30 minutes of mechanical activation, was found to yield the optimum results and amorphisation degree after activation for different durations was found to be within the range of 38,86 – 59,33 %.