Leaching of Rize region complex copper sulfide ores by anodic oxidation process

Keywords: Concentrated copper ore, mechanically activation, anodic oxidation, leaching, hydro-electrometallurgical process Copper production from sulfide ores are mostly carried out with pyrometallurgical processes. However, for the reasons such as more energy efficiency, less investment cost, more friendly environmental process and extraction of other elements except copper in ore, hydrometallurgically copper extraction has gained importance in the world in recent years. In this study, anodic oxidation leaching process of Rize region complex copper sulfide ores on Black Sea were investigated. Concentrated copper ore was mechanically activated in a planetary mill for optimum conditions and then non-activated and activated samples were leached in H2SO4 solution in different conditions. And also the effects of solution concentration, temperature, leach time, solid/liquid ratio, voltage, electrode spacing in anodic oxidation leaching process were studied. Afterwards, solutions was analyzed with AAS and titrimetric processes and the copper extraction efficiency was calculated in different leach conditions.