Copper solvent extraction and electrowinning process

A method for the recovery of copper from a copper containing source by a solvent extraction electrowinning process wherein a copper containing pregnant leach solution is extracted with an immiscible organic solvent to form a copper loaded organic stream, the loaded organic stream is stripped by an aqueous stream to form a copper rich electrolyte stream and the copper rich electrolyte stream is fed to an electrowinning cell to produce a copper product, the method consisting essentially of the steps of:

• forming the copper containing pregnant leach solution by exposing a copper containing source to a relatively weak acid aqueous leachant solution;
• mixing said pregnant leach solution with an organic solvent immiscible in water in a first mixer to extract copper from the solution by the organic solvent and forming a first mixture;
• feeding the first mixture to a first cyclone to separate an overflow copper loaded organic stream and an underflow aqueous raffinate stream;
• mixing the copper loaded organic stream with a highly acidic aqueous solution in a second mixer and forming a second mixture;
• feeding the second mixture to a second cyclone to separate a copper rich aqueous electrolyte underflow stream which is fed to an electrowinning cell for the recovery of the copper product and a copper stripped organic overflow stream;
• and
• electrowinning the rich copper electrolyte providing the copper product.

An apparatus for the recovery of copper from a copper containing source by a solvent extraction electrowinning process consisting essentially of:

• first mixing means to mix a copper containing solution and an immiscible organic extractant forming a first mixture;
• first settling means to separate the first mixture into a first copper loaded organic phase and a first copper depleted aqueous phase;
• first cyclone separation means to remove entrained water from the first loaded organic phase;
• second cyclone separation means to remove entrained organic extractant from the first aqueous phase;
• second mixing means to mix the first loaded organic phase and lean electrolyte from an electrowinning cell forming a second mixture;
• second settling means to separate the second mixture into a copper stripped organic phase and a copper rich electrolyte stream;
• third cyclone separation means to remove entrained organic extractant from the copper rich electrolyte stream;
• and
• an electrowinning cell to produce a copper product from the copper rich electrolyte stream.

An apparatus for the recovery of copper from a copper containing source by a solvent extraction electrowinning consisting essentially of:

• first mixing means to mix a copper containing aqueous solution and an immiscible organic extractant forming a first mixture;
• first cyclone separating means to separate the first mixture into an organic phase and an aqueous phase;
• second mixing means to mix the organic phase and a copper lean electrolyte stream from a copper electrowinning cell forming a second mixture;
• second cyclone separating means to separate the second mixture into a copper stripped organic phase and a copper rich aqueous electrolyte stream;
• and
• an electrowinning cell to provide a copper product from the copper rich electrolyte stream.

An apparatus for the recovery of copper from a copper containing source by a solvent extractant electrowinning process consisting essentially of:

• first mixing means to mix a copper containing aqueous solution and an immiscible organic extractant forming a first mixture;
• first cyclone separating means to separate the first mixture into a first organic stream and a first aqueous stream;
• second cyclone separating means to remove entrained water from the first organic stream forming a second organic stream;
• third cyclone separating means to separate entrained organic from the first aqueous stream forming a third organic stream and an underflow aqueous phase;
• second mixing means to mix the second organic stream, third organic stream and lean electrolyte from a copper electrowinning cell forming a second mixture;
• fourth cyclone separating means to separate the second mixture into a fourth organic stream and a fourth aqueous stream;
• fifth cyclone separating means to separate the fourth organic stream into a stripped organic stream and a first copper rich electrolyte stream;
• sixth cyclone separating means to separate entrained organic from the fourth aqueous stream forming a second copper rich electrolyte stream;
• and
• an electrowinning cell to provide a copper product from the first copper rich electrolyte stream and second copper rich electrolyte stream.

A method for the recovery of copper from a copper containing source by a solvent extraction electrowinning process wherein a copper containing pregnant leach solution is extracted with an immiscible organic solvent to form a copper loaded organic stream, the loaded organic stream is stripped by an aqueous stream to form a copper rich electrolyte stream and the copper rich electrolyte stream is fed to an electrowinning cell to produce a copper product, the method consisting essentially of the steps of:

• forming the copper containing pregnant leach solution by exposing a copper containing source to a relatively weak acid aqueous leachant solution;
• mixing said pregnant leach solution with an organic solvent immiscible in water in a first mixer to extract copper from the solution by the organic solvent and forming a first mixture;
• feeding the first mixture to a first cyclone to separate a first overflow copper loaded organic stream and a first underflow aqueous raffinate stream;
• feeding the first overflow copper loaded organic stream to a second cyclone to produce a second overflow loaded organic stream and a second underflow raffinate stream;
• feeding the first underflow aqueous raffinate stream to a third cyclone to separate a third overflow loaded organic stream and a third underflow aqueous raffinate stream;
• feeding the second overflow loaded organic stream and third overflow organic stream to a second mixer with a highly acidic aqueous solution and forming a second mixture;
• feeding the second mixture to a fourth cyclone to separate a first overflow stripped organic stream and a first rich electrolyte underflow stream;
• feeding the first overflow stripped organic stream to a fifth cyclone to separate a second overflow stripped organic stream and a second rich electrolyte underflow stream;
• feeding the first rich electrolyte underflow stream to a sixth cyclone to separate a third overflow stripped organic stream and a third rich electrolyte underflow stream;
• and
• electrowinning the second rich electrolyte underflow stream providing the copper product.