HYDROMETALLURGY
2. Scope
Fathi Habashi
Department of Mining, Metallurgical, and Materials Engineering
Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
[email protected] Hydrometallurgy
as a Branch of Extractive Metallurgy
Extractive metallurgy is the art and science of
extracting metals from their ores by chemical
methods. It is actually divided into three sectors:
hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy and
electrometallurgy. Hydrometallurgy is the technology
of extracting metals from ores by aqueous methods,
pyrometallurgy by dry thermal methods, and
electrometallurgy by electrolytic methods.
In general, hydrometallurgy involves two distinct
steps:
- Selective dissolution of the metal values from an
ore, a process known as leaching.
- Selective recovery of the metal values from the
solution, an operation that involves a precipitation
method.
Sometimes a purification/concentration operation is
conducted prior to precipitation. These processes
are aimed at obtaining a pure and a concentrated
solution from which the metal values can be
precipitated effectively.
The methods used are:
- adsorption on activated charcoal
- sorption on ion exchange resins
- extraction by organic solvents.
They are common in one respect, namely, the same
scheme of loading, washing, and elution is used in
all three operations. In the elution step, the material
is simultaneously regenerated for another cycle.
While the first two materials (activated charcoal and
ion exchange resins) are solids, the third material is
a liquid phase. That is why it is sometimes referred
to as liquid ion exchange.
Hydrometallurgical processing may be used
for the following purposes:
Recovery of salts from their deposits. For example, common salt,
sodium carbonate, potash, borax, etc.
Production of pure solutions from which high purity metals can be
produced by electrolysis, e.g., zinc, cadmium, nickel, copper, gold,
and silver.
Production of pure compounds which can be subsequently used for
producing the pure metals by other methods. For example, pure
compounds of aluminum, magnesium, uranium, and beryllium are
produced by hydrometallurgical methods but the metals themselves
are produced either by electrometallurgy (aluminum and magnesium),
or by pyrometallurgy (uranium and beryllium).
As a chemical beneficiating method. In this case, the undesirable
components of the raw material are leached away and the remaining
solids are the valuable product that has to be processed further. For
example, the treatment of ilmenite to produce synthetic rutile, the
desulfurization of coal, the purification of cassiterite concentrates, etc.
Direct production of pure metals suitable for the market after a
subsequent minor treatment, e.g., the precipitation of cobalt, nickel,
and copper from solution by hydrogen under pressure.
Hydrometallurgy as a chemical beneficiation method
Leaching Ore
agent
Leaching
Solid-Liquid Valuable
Separation residue
Solution
Regeneration
To disposal
The raw material for leaching is usually crushed and
ground and sometimes beneficiated by physical
methods before leaching.
In some cases the raw or the beneficiated material is
treated by thermal methods, e.g., oxidation,
reduction, etc., before being leached – the idea is to
render the material either more amenable to
leaching, or to exclude an undesirable component.
Leaching is usually followed by filtration, washing,
and solution purification steps. In few cases the ore
is crushed but not ground and the leach solution is
allowed to percolate through thus combining
leaching and filtration in a single step.
In special cases the ore is leached in place.
In any hydrometallurgical plant, large amounts of
water are needed, and a water balance must be
maintained. Surface or subsurface water must be
especially treated to remove any suspended matter
as well as soluble salts.
Hydro- versus Pyrometallurgy
Pyrometallurgy was most successful when high grade massive
ores were treated in a blast furnace, because such a furnace
has maximum heat economy being itself a heat exchanger: the
cold charge descending from the top is preheated by the hot
gases ascending in the furnace.
Dust problems were also minimum because the ore was in the
form of large lumps.
With the exhaustion of such raw material, metallurgists turned
their attention towards the treatment of low-grade ores. This
necessitated extensive grinding and flotation, which resulted in
finely divided concentrates as raw material. These, naturally,
could not be charged to a blast furnace because if charged
they will block the movement of the ascending gases — hence
the birth of the fossil-fired horizontal reverberatory furnace for
melting sulfide concentrates.
This was a turning point for the worst with respect to pollution
of the environment, high energy consumption, and excessive
dust formation.
Treatment of sulfide ores
Pyrometallurgical treatment of sulfide ore is plagued
by the problem of sulfur dioxide generation.
If it is in high enough concentration, it must be used
for making acid and a nearby market for this acid
must be found.
If the sulfur dioxide concentration is too low for
making acid, disposal methods must be found.
These are available but expensive. As a result, in
many cases, sulfur dioxide is simply emitted to the
atmosphere.
On the other hand, sulfides can be treated by
hydrometallurgical methods without generating
sulfur dioxide thus eliminating the need to
manufacture sulfuric acid. The sulfur can be
recovered in the elemental form which can be easily
stock-piled, or transported at low cost.
Material handling
In pyrometallurgical processes, the metallurgist is forced to
transfer molten slags and matte from one furnace to the
other in large, heavy, refractory-lined ladles.
Besides the inconvenience and the cost of handling these
materials, there is also the inevitable gas emission from
them because they are usually saturated with sulfur
dioxide and during transfer they cool down a little,
resulting in decreased gas solubility and emission, hence
the inconvenient working condition.
In hydrometallurgical plants, solutions and slurries are
transferred by pipelines without any problem.
Energy
Because of the high temperature involved in pyrometallurgical
processes, usually around 1500°C, the reaction rates are high
but much fuel is needed.
To make a process economical, heat recovery systems are
essential. Heat can be readily recovered from hot gases, but
rarely from molten material like slag or metal. Thus, a great deal
of energy is lost.
Further, the equipment needed for heat economy is bulky and
expensive.
Further, in a reverberatory furnace heat is mainly transferred
from the ceiling of the furnace by radiation and has to penetrate
a thick layer of slag which has a low thermal conductivity; that
is why it is inefficient.
In hydrometallurgical processes, on the other hand, less fuel is
needed because of the low temperature involved (usually below
100°C). Heat economy is usually no problem.
Dust
Combustion of fossil fuels in a furnace
results in the formation of a large volume of
gases that carry over large amounts of dust.
This must be recovered to abate pollution
and because the dust itself is also a valuable
material.
The technology of dust recovery is well
established but the equipment is bulky and
expensive.
In hydrometallurgical processes this is no
problem because wet material is usually
handled.
Treatment of complex ores
Treatment of complex ores by
pyrometallurgical method is unsuitable
because separation is difficult
Complex ores can be treated more
conveniently by hydrometallurgy.
Treatment of low-grade ores
Treatment of low-grade ores by
pyrometallurgy is unsuitable because of the
large amount of energy required to melt the
gangue minerals.
It is especially suitable to use
hydrometallurgy since a selective leaching
agent that can solubilize the valuable
minerals, and not the gangue, is usually
available.
Economics
The economics of a pyrometallurgical
process is usually suitable for large scale
operations and this requires a large capital
investment.
Hydrometallurgical processes are suitable
for small scale operations and low capital
investment. The hydrometallurgical units
can be increased in number when the need
arises without any economic disadvantage.
Sources of Information
Monographs
Conferences and Symposia
Journal Articles
