Kinetic process of oxidative leaching of chalcopyrite under low oxygen pressure and low temperature

Kinetic process of oxidative leaching of chalcopyrite in chloride acid hydroxide medium under oxygen pressure and low temperature was investigated. The effect on leaching rate of chalcopyrite caused by these factors such as ore granularity, vitriol concentration, sodium chloride concentration, oxygen pressure and temperature was discussed. The results show that the leaching rate of chalcopyrite increases with decreasing the ore granularity. At the early stage of oxidative reaction, the copper leaching rate increases with increasing the oxygen pressure and dosage of vitriol concentration, while oxygen pressure affects leaching less at the later stage. At low temperature, the earlier oxidative leaching process of chalcopyrite is controlled by chemical reactions while the later one by diffusion. The chalcopyrite oxidative leaching rate has close relation with ion concentration in the leaching solution. The higher ion concentration is propitious for chalcopyrite leaching.