Kinetics of nitric acid leaching of bornite and chalcopyrite

Abstract

The paper presents a study of the process of nitric acid dissolution of the natural minerals chalcopyrite and bornite. The influence of various parameters, including temperature, nitric acid concentration and particle sizes, on this process was examined. Based on the data obtained, the values of apparent activation energy (57.41 and 42.98 kJ/mol for chalcopyrite and bornite, respectively), empirical orders with respect to nitric acid (1.62 and 1.57 for chalcopyrite and bornite, respectively) and with respect to particle size (–1.16 and –2.53 for chalcopyrite and bornite, respectively) were calculated using the shrinking core model. Generalized kinetic equations for the dissolution process of both minerals were derived. Based on the calculations performed, it was suggested that the dissolution processes of chalcopyrite and bornite under these conditions are limited by internal diffusion.

Keywords

• copper
• chalcopyrite
• bornite
• leaching
• nitric acid
• kinetics