A New Approach for Cu and Fe/Fe x B Production from Chalcopyrite by Molten Salt Electrolysis
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
A New Approach for Cu and Fe/FexB Production from Chalcopyrite by Molten Salt Electrolysis Levent Kartal1 · Mehmet Barış Daryal2 · Servet Timur3 Received: 28 July 2020 / Accepted: 31 October 2020 / Published online: 23 November 2020 © The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
Abstract In the present study, copper (Cu) and iron boride (FexB) were produced for the first time through molten salt electrolysis using chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) in an oxide-based borax electrolyte. Molten salt electrolysis was carried out at 1073 K and a current density of 600 mA/cm2 for 3600 s under galvanostatic conditions. Cu and Fe/FexB were deposited on the graphite crucible surface used as the cathode. The particles obtained as a result of electrolysis were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and determined to contain Cu and Fe/FexB. The location and ratio of Cu and F exB in the particles were investigated by using EDS mapping, energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray spectroscopy (XRD); Cu and Fe/Fe xB were found to be present throughout the particles at different ratios. Cu and Fe/FexB were successfully separated from each other by selective leaching of copper in a 1 M NH3–H2O solution. The time-dependent dissolution behavior of Cu was investigated at pH 8, 298 K, 600 rpm stirring rate for 900–5400 s, and it was observed that the dissolution rate increased over time and all the copper had completely dissolved after 5400 s. After leaching particles were examined by XRD and SEM, it was revealed that Fe/FexB particles did not contain any Cu. Graphical Abstract Borax
CuFeS2 AMMONIA LEACH
MOLTEN SALT ELECTROLYSIS
S/L SEPARATION
Borax/Cu/Fe/FexB Fe/FexB
COPPER AMMONIA SOLUTION
GRINDING WASHING
ELECTROWINNING
DRYING
E-Copper
WATER LEACH
S/L SEPARATION
Fe/FexB Cu/Fe/FexB
Keywords Molten salt electrolysis · Chalcopyrite · Copper · Iron boride · Borax The contributing editor for this article was U. Pal. Extended author information available on the last page of the article
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Introduction Chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) is the most abundant copper mineral in nature and accounts for 70% of the known copper reserves. While chalcopyrite ore includes a significant amount of Cu, Fe, and sulfur (S), it can also contain a small amount of gold, nickel, cobalt, and platinum group metals (PGMs) [1, 2]. Chalcopyrite is firstly subjected to flotation treatment following physical enrichment steps, and copper is produced using multiple pyrometallurgical processes for metal production. Current standard pyrometallurgical copper production methods have high initial investment costs, high operating costs, and high sulfur dioxide ( SO2) emissions. During these processes, a significant amount of iron in the chalcopyrite oxidizes to form silicate fayalite slag [3]. Several studies have been performed on the development of hydrometallurgical and electrometallurgical methods using chalcopyrite, which were aimed at achieving environmentally friendly metal production as an alternative to pyrometallurgica
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