Sulphuric acid pressure leaching of Cu---Ni---Co matte obtained from copper converter slag - optimisation through factorial design

Abstract

Cu---Ni---Co matte obtained by pyritic smelting of copper converter slag was leached at elevated pressures. The leaching studies were carried out using a factorial design for optimisation. Regression equations for the extraction of copper, nickel and cobalt were determined from a 2³ full factorial design, taking temperature, oxygen partial pressure and acid concentration as the variables. The regression equations (except for cobalt extraction at two hours) satisfactorily predicted the extractions for another 2³ full factorial matrix chosen with narrow intervals of the three leaching variables.