EXTRACTION AND SEPARATION OF METALS FROM SULFIDE BY SLURRY ELECTROWINNING PROCESS (SEP)

摘要

The Slurry Electrowinning Process (SEP) is a new hydrometallurgical method and clean technology. Sulfide ores can be treated by the SEP without SO_2 emission and the sulfur from the sulfides can be recovered in element form which is easy to stockpile and can be transported at low cost. In a special slurry electrowinning cell one can achieve at the same time the leaching of elements from the feed and the electrowinning of metals from the electrolyte. Because the anode reactions are utilized for leaching of some elements the consumption of the energy is decreased. SEP also has the advantage of separation some elements. It is especially suitable for treatment of complex concentrates containing Pb, Cu, Au, Ag and S, which could hardly be accepted by any smelter. In this work, the behavior of different metals in this process has been studied and it was found that the separation of metals in some minerals is possible through the SEP. Beijing General Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (BGRIMM) has studied the possibility of the SEP to treat bismuth concentrates containing S, Be and F in laboratory and pilot-test scale as well as in commercial plants. The commercial plant was set up in 1997. It has been in operation since that time. According to the results of laboratory experiments and pilot-plant test, a new plant to treat complex gold minerals was set up in 1998 and is in operation in 1999.