Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are the two main branches of metallurgy?
What are the two main branches of metallurgy?
- Hydrometallurgy and Pyrometallurgy (correct)
- Comminution and Concentration
- Mineralogy and Petrology
- Smelting and Leaching
What does hydrometallurgy involve?
What does hydrometallurgy involve?
- High-temperature treatment of ores
- Chemical reactions in aqueous solutions (correct)
- Mechanical crushing of ores
- Physical separation of minerals
What does leaching involve in hydrometallurgy?
What does leaching involve in hydrometallurgy?
- Physical crushing of ores
- Mechanical separation of minerals based on size
- High-temperature treatment of ores
- Chemically reacting a mineral to selectively dissolve it into solution (correct)
What is the purpose of pyrometallurgy?
What is the purpose of pyrometallurgy?
Which technology applies leach solution to ore in the ground and collects pregnant solution pumped back to the surface?
Which technology applies leach solution to ore in the ground and collects pregnant solution pumped back to the surface?
Which leaching technology uses run-of-mine ore without crushing?
Which leaching technology uses run-of-mine ore without crushing?
Which leaching technology involves stacking crushed and agglomerated ore onto pads?
Which leaching technology involves stacking crushed and agglomerated ore onto pads?
Which leaching technology is performed on ground ore in slurry form?
Which leaching technology is performed on ground ore in slurry form?
Which technique involves adding a reagent to selectively react with impurity metal while leaving the desired metal in solution?
Which technique involves adding a reagent to selectively react with impurity metal while leaving the desired metal in solution?
Which purification technique selectively transfers valuable metal ions to/from organic and aqueous phases?
Which purification technique selectively transfers valuable metal ions to/from organic and aqueous phases?
Which purification technique involves the exchange of ions to/from organic and aqueous phases?
Which purification technique involves the exchange of ions to/from organic and aqueous phases?
What is the main method of hydrometallurgical recovery of dissolved metals for base metals like Cu, Ni, Co, and Zn?
What is the main method of hydrometallurgical recovery of dissolved metals for base metals like Cu, Ni, Co, and Zn?
Study Notes
Hydrometallurgy and Pyrometallurgy in Mineral Processing
- Leaching involves controlling temperature, pressure, and reactant concentrations to dissolve the mineral of interest while avoiding excessive dissolution of gangue minerals
- Five main leaching technologies are in-situ leaching, dump leaching, heap leaching, agitated tank leaching, and pressure leaching
- In-situ leaching applies leach solution to ore in the ground and collects pregnant solution pumped back to the surface, used for minerals like potash and sodium chloride
- Dump leaching uses run-of-mine ore without crushing, applying leach solution to the top and collecting drained solution, used for minerals like gold and silver
- Heap leaching involves stacking crushed and agglomerated ore onto pads, applying leach solution to the top and collecting drained solution, used for minerals like copper, gold, and silver
- Agitated tank leaching is performed on ground ore in slurry form, adding acid or base solution to increase leaching rate
- Pressure leaching is performed in long, horizontal, tube-shaped reactors (autoclaves) above atmospheric boiling temperature
- Solution purification techniques in hydrometallurgy include precipitation, solvent extraction, and ion exchange
- Precipitation involves adding a reagent to selectively react with impurity metal while leaving the desired metal in solution
- Solvent extraction selectively transfers valuable metal ions to/from organic and aqueous phases, employed in copper and uranium production
- Ion exchange involves the exchange of ions to/from organic and aqueous phases, used to remove small amounts of metal ions from solutions
- Hydrometallurgical recovery of dissolved metals is mainly by electrowinning (EW) or electrorefining (ER), base metals like Cu, Ni, Co, and Zn are produced by electrowinning, and Cu is also produced by electrorefining
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Description
Test your knowledge of hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy in mineral processing with this quiz. Explore topics such as leaching technologies, solution purification techniques, and metal recovery methods commonly used in the industry.
