Abstract

TAUTE, J.J.  and  ARCHER, S.J.. Techno-economic evaluation of BASF's new high-temperature solvent extraction reagent. J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall. [online]. 2018, vol.118, n.11, pp.1185-1193. ISSN 2411-9717.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2411-9717/2018//v118n11a9.

BASF Mining Solutions has developed a new-generation copper solvent extraction reagent that offers significant benefits over standard extractants currently available to the industry. As the name suggests, the new high-temperature (HT) extractant can be used at a higher operating temperature, but also exhibits significantly lower degradation rates, greater copper-to-iron selectivity, and is totally nitration-proof compared with the standard extractants. Pilot-plant trials have also shown that lower aqueous-inorganic entrainment can be achieved. This paper investigates the techno-economic benefit of using the HT extractant as an alternative to the standard extractant in a high-temperature application. The results of the technical evaluation showed that the use of the HT extractant reduces the extractant addition requirements and bleed volume from copper electrowinning; this smaller bleed requirement further reduces acid and limestone consumption, leading to a reduction in valuable metal losses. The results of the economic evaluation showed that the use of the HT extractant represents significant cost savings over that of the standard extractant.

Keywords : copper solvent extraction; reagents; high temperature; selectivity; entrainment.

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