Hydrometallurgy: Leaching in Heap, Vat, CIL, CIP, Merrill–Crowe, SX Solvent Extraction

Hydrometallurgy: Leaching in Heap, Vat, CIL, CIP, Merrill–Crowe, SX Solvent Extraction

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Crud Formation in Copper SX (11 replies and 2 comments)

Jean Rasczak
8 years ago
Jean Rasczak 8 years ago

What are main problems in copper SX that cause to crud forming? Apart from the solid content in the PLS solution. I know a little bit of crud in not dangerous 4- 5 centimetres in the settler. I hear italso helps coalescence phenomena, but over 10 cm is not good. What else?

Helena Russell
8 years ago
Helena Russell 8 years ago

The presence of solids in the feed solution.

Treating ores may lead to the presence of humic acids, which also cause crud formation.

Clay treatment might be one of the solutions.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

We specialize in recovery organic from crud using FlottwegTricanter centrifuges, and normally the crud consists predominantly of solids from the PLS. The crud takes on a gel-like consistency when flocculent is overdosed in the PLS clarifiers. There is also quite a lot of windblown dust in some plants. In some tropical areas we also get an abundance of insects in the crud, being attracted by the smell and the lights.

S
Sukhbaatar
4 years ago

Hi, we used Flottweg Tricanter centrifuge for recovering organic from crud. But only 6 to 8% of organic recovered from crud. By the way, we dont have any additional step for crud. We just pumped crud from SX and feed Flottweg. is this the main reason that we cant recover much organic?

Victor Bergman
8 years ago
Victor Bergman 8 years ago

As all mentioned, we should protect settler and PLS pond areas. Is it logical that these areas be closed? For example, have roof?

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Normally, all settlers have a roof, either a single general cover or sectioned covers.

Regarding PLS ponds is more difficult cover them for their great size, though, already have been developed some ideas to cover them and prevent evaporation and dust pollution (especially in desert zones).

Maya Rothman
8 years ago
Maya Rothman 8 years ago

I remember two practices in a SX plant.

Desandling ponds. That help to decrease the solid content in PLS, decrease Crud formation and.

A 1 mm of vinyl Manta covers in PLS ponds to avoid the evaporation.

A
Masterkap
5 years ago

Agreeing with Maya, I add that by our experience as industry in Brazil (Masterkap.com.br) we have seen many of our customers in the Americas testifying the benefits of the vinyl/PVC mats to the prospection.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

In agitated leach process, we use the pin bed clarifiers after the thickener to decrease the amount of solid in our PLS.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Silica is also a common component of crud. You could analyse your PLS to see how much Si is present and try to remove some of this ahead of the SX circuit by control of upstream precipitation conditions, etc. or control the solution conditions to ensure that the silica remains in the most manageable form.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

As said by everybody, cruds are forming by solid in PLS, so it most important to control overflow clarifier TSS, before sending in PLS pond etc.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

As said in all the above comments... control the level of your tss (total solid suspended) in your PLS and electrolyte stream, a max of 50 to 100 ppm can be allowed (as for most of the plant in a copper belt Africa).

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Controlling TSS can be a little difficult given the economics of the process and the composition of the ore body. A simpler way is to run the strippers organic continuous while running extractors in aqueous continuity. This way all the crud will pack in the strippers from where it can be pumped out using diaphragm pumps and further treated using a system such as a Tricantor or a clay treatment/filter-press operation.

S
Sukhbaatar
4 years ago
Sukhbaatar 4 years ago

Does thickener really necessary for dump leaching SX-EW plant? 


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