Leaching Studies of Copper Anode Slime for Recovery of Valuable Metals

Abstract

During production of Copper from ores or copper concent-rate in electro refining stage we get pure copper at cathode and impure mud at the anode which settles at the bottom of the electro refining tank and is collected at regular intervals. This is known as anode slime. During electro refining of copper anode slime is collected as a by-product. Anode slime contains valuable metals like Cu, Se, Te, Ag, Au, Ni, and platinum group metals. [1] The raw anode slime normally looks like greyish black in colour. It is very fine powder particles; particles size is about 20 mesh(BSS). The particles have smooth surfaces, round edges. Some of them are having spherical shape[1]. The composition of anode slime varies from refinery to refin-ery depending upon the various types of copper ores used at various plants. In general in anode slime the phases present are Cu2Se, Ag2Te. Ag2Se, AgCuSe, Cu2O, NiO, Cu-Ni-Sb, CuSO4.5H2O etc. These are complex in nature.[1]. It is important to process anode slime for the recovery of valuable metals present in it which finds a number of applications of these metals.