Removal of Antimony and Bismuth from Copper Electrorefining Electrolyte: Part I -- A Review

Abstract

Antimony and bismuth are two of the most problematic impurities in copper electrorefining. As a result, much research has been done investigating the ways to remove them. Processes that are currently being used industrially include anode additions, liberators, ion exchange (IX), and solvent extraction (SX). Of these, liberators and anode additions are the most common while SX is the least, mostly being used for arsenic removal. Other methods have been evaluated, but they are not in commercial use. These include the use of various electrolyte additives, as well as adsorbents such as bentonite clay and heavy metal sulfates.

Department(s)

Materials Science and Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Anodes; Antimony; Bentonite; Bismuth; Copper; Ion exchange; Pollution control; Solvent extraction; Sulfur compounds, Arsenic removal; Bentonite clay; Copper electrorefining; Electrolyte additives; Impurities in, Electrolytes

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1047-4838; 1543-1851

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2018 Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Oct 2018

Link to Full Text

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