| 摘要 |
<p>A method is provided for leaching comminuted nickeliferous sulfide matte containing by weight about 20% to 75% nickel, about 5% to 50% copper, non-stoichiometric sulfur in the range of over 4% to about 24%, over 0.5% to about 20% iron, the sum of the nickel, copper and sulfur contents being at least about 80% of the matte composition, with the balance gangue or slag and incidental impurities. Nickel is selectively leached from the comminuted matte using sulfuric acid or spent copper electrolyte solution at substantially atmospheric pressure while vigorously aerating the solution, wherein the pH is raised sufficiently to produce a nickel solution with an iron content of less than about 10 ppm and a copper content of over 5 ppm, the copper being thereafter selectively removed from the nickel solution by passing the solution through an ion-exchange resin selective to the absorption of copper. Copper eluted from the ion-exchange bed is electrolytically formed into starter sheets. The sulfite residue from the atmospheric leach is then formed into a copper-containing electrolyte which is subjected to electrowinning.</p> |
