Copper Extraction from Oxide Ore by Hydrometallurgy an‎d Determination of the Effective Parameters

10/5/2026 12:00:00 AM

Copper, due to its unique physical an‎d chemical properties, plays a crucial role in advanced industries. This metal is of particular importance in electronics, automotive manufacturing, alloy production, an‎d energy sectors. With the depletion of high-grade sulfide ores an‎d the growing global deman‎d for copper, the extraction of this metal from oxide ores using hydrometallurgical methods has gained increasing attention. In this study, the optimization of key parameters affecting the acid leaching of copper oxide ore with sulfuric acid was investigated. The effects of variables such as time, acid concentration, temperature, an‎d solid-to-liquid ratio on copper recovery were eva‎luated. The results showed that the optimal conditions were achieved at an acid concentration of 30 g/L, a solid-to-liquid ratio of 5%, a temperature of 60 °C, an‎d a leaching time of 120 minutes, under which a copper recovery of 75% was obtained. Furthermore, the application of ultrasonic waves under the optimized leaching conditions enhanced the process efficiency, increasing recovery to 82% at a power intensity of 300 W. A comparison of conventional an‎d ultrasonic leaching at different times demonstrated that the ultrasonic method consistently achieved higher recovery rates. In addition, the optimization of solvent extraction parameters revealed that the best conditions were at pH 2, organic solvent concentration of 12.5%, organic-to-aqueous phase ratio of 1.5, an‎d a contact time of 2 minutes, resulting in 97% copper extraction. These findings indicate that by carefully selec‎ting operational parameters, the efficiency of the process can be significantly improved, offering a promising pathway for the development of green an‎d cost-effective methods in the hydrometallurgical industry.

مس , كانسنگ اكسيدي , ليچينگ اسيدي , فراصوت , استخراج حلالي

copper , oxide ore , acidic leaching , ultrasonic , solvent extraction

Zahra Jalali Bazi

Mansoor Anbia