Journal article
Cathodic processes in the leaching and electrochemistry of covellite in mixed sulfate–chloride media
Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, Vol.38(3), pp.363-369
2008
Abstract
The cathodic processes that occur on a covellite (CuS) surface in mixed sulfate–chloride solutions in the absence and presence of copper(II) ions have been studied using potentiostatic transients and cyclic voltammetry at rotating disk electrodes in the potential range 0.3–0.7 V (versus SHE). This range is relevant to the oxidative leaching of this copper mineral in sulfate and chloride lixiviants. Variations in the concentrations of sulfate and chloride ions had a small effect on the cathodic reduction of covellite in the potential range of 0.5–0.3 V, although the presence of chloride ion resulted in a significant increase in the anodic current on the reverse sweep. On the other hand, addition of copper(II) ions resulted in enhanced cathodic currents and subsequent anodic currents in both sulfate and chloride solutions due to reduction of covellite to an undefined reduced copper sulfide species. Reduction of copper(II) to copper(I) ions becomes the preferred cathodic reaction as the concentration of chloride ions increases, becoming mass transport controlled at a rotating disc electrode at potentials below about 0.4 V. Potentiostatic measurements at potentials negative to the mixed potential in acidic chloride solutions have shown that reduction of copper(II) ions is reversible and have been used to estimate the rate of oxidative dissolution of the mineral which value agrees reasonably well with previously reported leaching rates under similar conditions. Reduction of dissolved oxygen has been found to be very much slower that that of copper(II) ions under ambient conditions.
Details
- Title
- Cathodic processes in the leaching and electrochemistry of covellite in mixed sulfate–chloride media
- Authors/Creators
- M.S. Lee (Author/Creator) - Mokpo National UniversityM.J. Nicol (Author/Creator) - Murdoch UniversityP. Basson (Author/Creator) - BHP (Australia)
- Publication Details
- Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, Vol.38(3), pp.363-369
- Publisher
- Kluwer Academic Publishers
- Identifiers
- 991005544301707891
- Copyright
- 2007 Springer Science+Business Media BV
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Chemical and Mathematical Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Citation topics
- 7 Engineering & Materials Science
- 7.229 Mineral & Metal Processing
- 7.229.774 Bioleaching
- Web Of Science research areas
- Electrochemistry
- ESI research areas
- Chemistry