Chmical Engineering Science, Vol. 47, No. 8, pp. 1933-1941, 1992. ooo9-2509/92 ss.00 + 0.

00
Printed in Great Britain. 0 1992 Prrsaroon Press Ltd

MATHEMATICAL MODELLING OF METAL LEACHING IN

NONPOROUS MINERALS

GRETCHEN LAPIDUS
Departamento de Ingenieriade Procesos e Hidraulica, Universidad Autbnoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa,
Apartado Postal 55-532, Mexico 13, DF 09340, Mexico

(First received22 January 1991; accepted in revisedform 12 December 1991)

Abstract-A model based on the shrinking-core principle is presented for three cases of oxidative metal
leaching from nonporous mineral particles. Several limitations inherent in the assumptions of the tradi-
tional shrinking-core model, such as those of oxidation agent in excess and first-orderirreversiblekinetics,
are overcome. In each case, an unconventional behavior observed in experimental data is explained
through numerical leaching simulations.

INTRODUCI’LON (Habashi, 1967). The cyanidation reaction is so fast

In the literature, very few attempts have been made to
model the oxidative leaching kinetics of metals from
nonporous mineral particles. Even in these cases, the
traditional shrinking-core model (SCM) with nth-
order irreversible kinetics and the pseudo-steady state
(PSS) assumption is employed (Warren et al., 1985;
Rath et al., 1988; Fuerstenau et al., 1986; Lapidus and
Mosqueira, 1988). These assumptions only apply to
a very limited set of conditions. Specifically, the PSS
assumption implies that the concentration of the oxi-
dation agent remains constant in time. In most indus-
trial applications, near-stoichiometric concentrations
of the oxidation agent are employed, a situation which
causes a reduction in its level as the reaction proceeds.
Taylor et al. (1983) presented an extension of the SCM
which does not assume a PSS. However, the model is
still quite limited due to the fact that the concentra-
tion of the oxidation agent is considered constant (in
excess) and the kinetics are assumed to be first-order
irreversible; consequently, the effect of product accu-
mulation in the bulk solution on the overall kinetics
cannot be accounted for.
The models presented in this paper, while still based
on the shrinking-core concept (diffusion and reaction
in series and constant particle radius), incorporate
variable bulk concentrations, irreversible or fast re-
versible reactions with one or more oxidation agents
and the use of more complicated kinetic expressions.
All of these considerations are necessary as a first step
in the direction of building an industrial-reactor simu-
lator. Only then will it be possible to employ laborat-
ory results on monosized particulate systems in the
scaleup for multisized particulate industrial reactors.
The cases that are addressed in this paper are rep-
resentative and were selected in view of certain char-
acteristics of the oxidation reaction. The first case,
sphalerite leaching with ferric chloride, is by far the
simplest, because the kinetics are basically a function
of the oxidation agent (Warren et al., 1986). In case II,
cyanidation of silver has been treated in view of the
interesting observed behavior with respect to pH
1933
with respect to the time scale involved in the leaching
process (24 h) that it is considered to be in equilibrium
at the reaction boundary. In the last case, the interest-
ing aspects of the former case are further complicated
by complexing phenomena coupled with diffusion.
The most important simplification used in all of the
cases is that the models only take into account the
principal metal to be leached. The effects that other
impurities have on consumption of the oxidating
agent, or on the created porosity in the mineral, are
the subject of another study which will be published in
the future.
THEORY
The generalized shrinking-core theory assumes the
following (Yagi and Kunii, 1955):
(1) The system is isothermal.
(2) The desired metal to be leached has an initially
uniform distribution throughout the mineral
particle, and the other species present are con-
sidered to be inert or, at least, do not react with
the same oxidant.
(3) The mineral particle is spherical and conserves
its size and shape during the leaching process.
(4) The reaction boundary is considered to be well-
defined and the external mass transfer, the dif-
fusion and the reaction resistances act in series.
The diffusion of any species in the inert layer may
be described by Fick’s law in spherical coordinates,
i.e.
R, < R < R, (1)
where
cl = concentration of species i
R = radial position in the inert layer
Di = effective diffusivity of species i in the inert
layer.
1934
If complexing reactions occur in the solution, these
are considered to be very fast compared to the leach-
ing reaction, and eq. (1) may be used to describe the
diffusion of the total chemical species through the
inert layer (Lapidus, 1991).
The initial conditions correspond to the total con-
centration of species i added to the system and the
equivalence of the two radii:
for t = 0,
ci = cp
R, = R,.
For t > 0 in the bulk solution, a
must be made for the consumption
each reacting species. This balance
percentage of solids in the system
manner:
cf = 60 +b. E;pI %.
‘MWlOO-%%.
= c;O + b*aX
where
cf = concentration of species i in the bulk
solution
cf* = initial concentration of species i in the
bulk solution
bi = stoichiometric coefficient of species i, in-
cluding its sign, in the oxidation reaction
with respect to that of the desired metal
product
F = weight fraction of the desired metal in the
mineral
P, = leaching solution density
MW = molecular weight of the desired metal
%, = percentage of solids in the system
X = fractional conversion of the desired
metal.
When there are external mass transfer limitations,
e.g. in the case of a fast reaction rate combined with
the lack of particle suspension in the reactor, the
difference between the concentrations of species i in
the bulk solution and at the particle surface may be
appreciable. In this case, a specific correlation for the
mass transfer coefficient, hi, is necessary and the fol-
lowing equation is used: at R, (particle surface),
Dgi = h,(cf - cf).
'3R Al,
Under normal laboratory operating conditions, an
effort is made to eliminate the external mass transfer
limitations using rigorous agitation. When this is pos-
sible, cf = cf because hi is large.
At the reaction boundary, the flux of the oxidation
agent or agents is equal to its rate of reaction as
follows: at R, (reaction boundary),
aCi
= reaction rate expression.
D%i J&
GRETCHEF v LAPIDUS
The reaction rate expression (RRE) may assume any
irreversible or reversible form as long as the diffusion
of all species included in the RRE are described. If,
instead, local equilibrium is chosen as the boundary
condition, eq. (6) would be replaced by the thermo-
dynamic equilibrium constant, and the fluxes of the
different components at the reaction boundary would
be related through the stoichiometric coefficients of
the oxidation reaction.
The core-shrinkage rate may be described by a ma-
(2) terial balance with respect to the flux of the desired
metal, species j:
(3)
dR,
-=--
Di dci
material balance
dt biPM aR R.
or production of
is related to the where
in the following
pm = molar density of the desired metal in the
mineral.
x The conversion of the desired metal is related to the
position of the shrinking core by the following expres-
(4) sion (Levenspiel, 1972):
3
To solve
x+.
(> P
the problems presented in this study, the
equations were nondimensionalized to fix the moving
boundary using the same variables as presented by
Taylor et al. (1983):
Once this was performed, the differential equations
and their respective boundary conditions were dis-
cretized using orthogonal collocation (with three col-
location points) and the implicit Euler method in the
radial and temporal coordinates, respectively. The
entire system of equations, including the initial condi-
tions, was solved using the Newton-Raphson method,
starting at a very small time and integrating up to the
desired time or conversion.
Case I: sphaierite leaching with ferric chloride
The oxidation reaction for this system is the follow-
ing:
ZnS + 2Fe3+ + 2Fe*+ + Zn*+ + So.
The leaching kinetics have been found mostly to be
reaction controlled. However, in the high-temper-
ature region (above about 7O”C, depending on the size
fraction) diffusion control becomes significant. Al-
though there is disagreement among authors about
the order of the reaction (Warren et al., 1986; Rath et
al., 1989; Palacios et al., 1989), using the SCM under
PSS conditions, 2CrJpzn < 0.1, and a large excess of
ferric chloride, a power-law expression using any n fits
all of the experimental data quite well. However, when
the concentration of ferric ion is not constant, as in
(6) the case of an initial near-stoichiometric amount of
the oxidant, or when, in the mixed kinetic region, the
 Mathematical modelling of metal leaching in nonporous minerals
simple expression for reaction control from the SCM,
1 -(l -X) 113, does not give a straight line.
In Fig. 1, data obtained by Palacios et al. (1989) for
ferric chloride leaching of a sphalerite concentrate (at
80°C and pH = 1) are plotted as the SCM reaction
control function vs time for four different ferric ion
concentrations, which correspond to 700, 200, 100
and 50% of the stoichiometric amount required. For
the highest concentration, 700%, the data fit
a straight line. However, as the concentration de-
creases, this is not the case and determination of the
kinetic rate constant from the slope of the line is not
possible. For this reason, a more complex model is
needed to describe the leaching kinetics.
Since the reaction is essentially irreversible, only the
diffusion of ferric ion need be described. For this
system the following equations were used:
R, -K R <
cFc = CR and R, = R,, for f = 0.
Since the agitation was sufficiently high in these ex-
periments to reduce the external mass transfer resist-
. .
ante to a mmlmum, c$, x &. The boundary condi-
tion at the particle surface reduces to a material bal-
ance of the ferric ion that remains in the bulk solution:
at R,,
0
CFe = CFe - aaxz,, for t > 0.
At the reaction boundary, the ferric ion flux equals
its reaction rate, i.e. at R,,
D+e
kc”,..
Fc aR
=
1935
Case II: silver leaching with sodium cyanide and air
In this system, rotating disc studies have deter-
mined that the kinetics are very fast compared to the
mass transport phenomena (Habashi, 1967). How-
ever, it has been found in plant practice and laborat-
ory studies that there is a notable decrease in the silver
extraction rate at high values of pH ( > 12) which
cannot be solely explained by differences in diffusion
rates of the reacting species. This has been attributed
to several factors, such as cyanide decomposition or
reduced oxygen solubility at higher pH values, which
are unconvincing because the same tendency is not
found in gold extraction (Habashi, 1967).
The principal difference between the gold and silver
systems is that the former has an equilibrium constant
for the oxidation reaction eight orders of magnitude
larger than the latter. Since the hydroxyl ion is one of
the reaction products, it may be expected that local
equilibrium at the reaction boundary is one of the
R, (9) causes of the rate decrease at higher initial hydroxide
concentrations.
(10, 11) To demonstrate this effect, a simulation was per-
formed using the oxidation reaction proposed by
Bodlanger (1896):
2Ag0 + 4CN- + O2 + 2H20 ti ZAg(CN);
+ 20H- + H202.
The diffusion behaviour of each of the species in the
above reaction, except water due to its presence in
(12) excess, may be described by the corresponding forms
of eq. (1). Nondimensionalization is performed using
the concentration and the effective diffusivity of dis-
solved oxygen as reference values.
The boundary conditions at the particle surface are
(13)
similar to those employed in case T, material balances

R,

for each species, except for oxygen. For this species,

Since the flux of ferric ion is related through the the concentration in the bulk solution is considered
oxidation reaction to that of zinc ion at R,, the core- constant because of continuous aeration of the pulp.
shrinkage rate may be expressed as follows:
At R,,
dR,_
_--
DFe aCFs
(14)
dt 2PM aR K.’ = c& = constant due to the aeration
co*
of the solution (15)
Solving these equations for n = 0 and l/2, the
best fit (for both orders) to the experimental data is CcN = c& - 2aX (16)
shown in Fig. 2 as fractional conversion vs time CA&ZN)z = clx (17)
(Palacios et al., 1989). As shown in the table below,
the simulation gives consistently increasing or de- cOH = c& + aX (18)
creasing values for the reaction rate constants for
cn202 = +aX (19)
n = 0 and l/2, respectively (Fig. 3).

n=O ?l= l/2

Ferric ion Damkdhler Damlciihler

concentration (M) k x 1O-9 number k x 1O-6 number

0.00625 3.6 6.1 1.9 4.4

0.0125 4.7 9.1 1.7 9.1
0.0250 5.0 1.8 1.3 1.8
0.0970 5.5 0.9 0.6 0.6
1936 GRETCHEN LAPIDUS

0 Fet3 - 0.00625 M
A Fet3 = 0.0125 M
o Fet3 - O-0260 M
-<
* Fet3 = 0.0870 M .w
_A I

TIME. MINUTES

Fig.1. Sphalerite leaching with ferric chloride. Experimental data reported by Palacios er al. (1989) at 80°C
and plotted as the reaction control function of the traditional SCM, 1 - (1 - X)“j vs time in minutes.

= 0.097 M
0 Fe+3 = 0.025 M

- 0.00326 M

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 3Qo

TIME, MINUTES

Fig. 2. Sphalerite leaching with ferric chloride. Model simulations compared with the experimental data of
Palacios et al. (1989) plotted as fractional conversion, X, vs time in minutes.

where At R,.
X = fractional conversion or extraction of silver. K, = h,CNdz (cOW)2(~HzO+)
= 2.98 x lo8 (20)
At the reaction boundary, local equilibrium for the b~)(‘kN)~

oxidation reaction is assumed and relative fluxes of all

of the reacting species are dictated by the stoichiomet- acAs(CNh aco2
D As(CN)r = -2Do,-
ric coefficients. Equilibrium is only considered at this aR R, aR R,
(21)

boundary, akd nowhere else in the diffusion region,

because at this point the concentrations of the react-
ants are the lowest and those of the products the
highest.
= -to,q R,
(22)
 Mathematical modelling of metal leaching in nonporous minerals 1937

tration dissolved in water at the same temperature

(23) and 1 atm.

h-I202 Do, =2.4x lo-’

= 2h.02 y . (24) DcN = 1.7 x 1O-5
Rc
D AS(,JN)2
= 0.3 x lo- ’
The equation for the core-shrinkage rate is
Doa = 2.7 x 1O-5
dRc
-=- DAS,CN)~acA,s(cNh D H2o2 = 2.3 x 1O-s.
dt 2p, aR R,’
The results of the simulation are plotted in Fig. 4
The values of the free diffusivity of each species which shows conversion of silver vs dimensionless
(listed below) were taken from the literature (Habashi, time for different initial pH values at 25°C. The pulp
1967; Schmid and Curley, 1975; Geaukoplis, 1972). consisted of 50% total solids of a mineral containing
The equilibrium constant for the oxidation reaction 200 g/ton of metallic silver. The times are dimension-
was calculated with the redox half-potentials at 25”C, less, Do,tfR& since experimental data for monosized
changing the reference state for oxygen to its concen- particles are not available in the literature.

on-0

o.al 0.01 0-W 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.08 0.07 0.08 o.cm 0.10
Fe+3 ooncerttrotion. M

Fig. 3. Sphaleriteleaching with ferricchloride. Estimated rate constants, k. for assumed reaction orders of
0 and I/t as a function of ferric ion concentration in mol/l.

I mu
________-___e,
______------
0-Q zesi___

0.6

0.7

0.6

X 0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0’
0.0 0.5 I .o 3.5 4.0
DMEr&&-: TIblE5WRg

Fig. 4. Silver leaching with cyanide. Model simulationsshowing the et%ct of the initial solution pH on the
extraction of silver from a 200 g/ton mineral as fractional conversion, X, vs dimensionless time, Dt/Rf .
1938 GRETCHEN LAPIDUS

The numerical results show that metallic silver
leaching is reduced for values of pH both above and
below 12 at low effective concentrations of sodium
cyanide (0.20 kg/ton mineral, which corresponds to
approximately 10% more cyanide than the stoichio-
metric amount necessary to leach all of the silver). At
pH 10, this behavior is principally due to the lower
concentration of free cyanide in solution, while at pH
14 it is due to the high hydroxide concentration. In
both of these cases, equilibrium is reached in the bulk
solution. In all of the simulations at this concentration
of cyanide, evidence exists from the concentration
profiles that there is a change in the rate-controlling
step from oxygen diffusion at small times to product
diffusion at large times (Fig. 5).
A low effective cyanide concentration, similar to the
one presented here, presents itself for the case of
highly oxidized minerals which contain large amounts
of cyanicide metals. This behavior is not observed
with gold probably due to the higher equilibrium
constant of the oxidation reaction, K, = 8.4 x lOi
(Lapidus, 1988).
it should be expected at pH values below about 2.5,
where hydroxide complexing of the ferric ion is insig-
nificant, that the silver extraction would be inde-
pendent of the acid concentration in solution. How-
ever, Tellez et al. (1986) observed a pronounced effect
vriithargentite similar to that observed for gold. This
behavior has been attributed to a secondary oxidation
reaction by an oxidized species of thiourea, for-
mamidine disulfide, whose reduction is favored by
increased acid concentration (Groenwald, 1975).
This and other observations, such as the unconven-
tional dependence of the extraction rate on the ferric
ion concentration, are evidence that the complexing
phenomena occurring in the solution should necessar-
ily be taken into account when modelling the leaching
kinetics (Hiskey, 1981).
In the present system, local equilibrium is con-
sidered at the reaction boundary because the
oxidative reaction rate for eq. (26) has been proved to
be very fast (Chen et al., 1980). Additionally, it is
assumed that, in the entire solution phase, the follow-
ing spontaneous equilibria exist:

Case III: argentite leaching with ferric sulfate and Fe3+ + SOg-*FeS04+ (27)
thiourea
H+ + SO:--=HSO; (28)
The thiourea and ferric sulfate system has been
considered as an alternative to cyanidation for silver Fe’+ + SO:-Z$F~SO, (29)
extraction from minerals and concentrates. However,
Fe3+ + SOf- + CS(NH2)s~FeS04CS(NH& (30)
due to the complexity of this system, its kinetic behav-
ior cannot be described by simple models which 2Fe3+ + 2CS(NH&e2Fe2+ + 2H+
would allow optimization. For example, the principal
+ (NH,)NHC-SSCNH(NH,) (31)
oxidation reaction may be written as follows:
Ag+ + CS(NH,),=AgCS(NH,): (32)
Ag,S + 2Fe3+ + 6CS(NH,),=2Ag[CS(NH,),];
Ag+ + 2CS(NH,),=Ag[CS(NH,),]: (33)
+ 2Fe2 * + So. (26)
Ag+ + 3CS(NH,),=Ag[CS(NH,),]: (34)
As may be observed, in the above reaction there is no
direct dependence on the solution pH. Consequently, Ag’ + 4CS(NH,),=Ag[CS(NH,),]:. (35)

0.8 -

OXYGEN RT LFRn TIME --.S_ILVERAT LFRn TIME

-----_---_______________
C
0.5 -
CMAX
0.4 -

0.3 -

OXYQN FIT St4XL TIME

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.Q 1.0
DIMENSIONLESS RFIOIUS. R-Rc/Rp-Rc

Fig. 5. Silverleachingwith cyanide. Oxygen- and silver-simulatedconcentrationprofiles at small and large

times plotted as dimensionless concentration, c/c,,,, as a function of dimensionless radius,
R - RJR* - R,.
 Mathematical modelling of metal leaching in nonporous minerals 1939

In order to facilitate manipulation of the equations, for t > 0, at R = R, (bulk solution),

each species is numbered as shown below:
CFTI = cFTLl” (47)
1 = Fe3+ 8 = FeSO,CS(NH&
CSTI = CST1° (48)
2 = sot- 9 = HSO,
D-U = cTTl” (49)
3=H+ 10 = (NH,)NHC-S-S-
CNHfNHz) [AT] = [AT]’ - [PT-J (50)

4 = CS(NH2)2 11 = FeS04 CPU =aX (51)

5 = Fe2+ 12 = Ag+
where
6 = Ag[CS(NH,),],+ 13 = Ag[CS(NH2)J+
X = fractional conversion
7 = FeSOZ 14 = Ag[CS(NH,)J: for t z- 0, at R = R,
15 = Ag[CS(NH,)Jf.
c5cS
Because the concentrations of the different species G! =2 (52)
c1c4
depend on the local chemical environment at each
point in the inert layer, it is more convenient to
flux [F-r] = 0 (53)
calculate the diffusion of the total element or func- flux [ST] = 0 (54)
tional group. In this manner, the complexing reac-
flux [TTI = 0 (55)
tions cancel each other out, and the formation of
a given species from another is automatically taken flux [ATI = - flux [PT-J (56)
into consideration. With this purpose in mind, the
where
following functional groups may be used for this sys-
tem: flux [zT] = c Di(dci/cYR)
i
total iron = [FT] = ci + cg + c7 + cs + cl1 (36)
total sulfate = [ST-J = c2 + c, + cs + cg + c1 1 (37) i = species that contains the element or functional
group.
total thiourea = LTl”l = ca + 2cs + cs
The equation for the core-shrinkage rate in this
+ 2ClO + Cl3 + 3c14 + 4c15 (38) system is
total oxidating agent = [ATI = c1 + c, + cg + 2c,,
pnr $$ = flux[PT-J I&. (57)
(39)

total silver = [pT7 = c6 + c,~ + clj + cl4 + ~~5. The system of equations was solved for 80 pm par-
WI ticles of a nonporous mineral with 200 gAg/ton at
25% solids. The results of the leach simulation using
Therefore, eq. (1) would assume the following form
a solution of 0.03 M thiourea and 0.003 M ferric sul-
for the diffusion of total iron:
fate for pH 1, 1.5 and 1.9 appear in Fig. 6 as fractional
m--l conversion vs dimensionless time, D 1t/R:. As may he
Eat Dl$f+D5$f+D,~ observed, the difference in the extraction rates at the
different pH values is appreciable.
aG3 ac11 Another interesting effect may be seen in Fig. 7
+Ds~+DlldR . where the simulated leaching behavior is presented for
>I
the same system at pH 1 and 0.03 M thiourea at
The differential equations for the remaining four func-
different concentrations of ferric sulfate. The leaching
tional groups ([ST-J, [TIJ, [ATI and [pT7) are ana-
rate is actually lower at the highest ferric ion concen-
logous.
tration than that observed at the intermediate concen-
The initial and boundary conditions for the five
trations. The effect is due to complexing of ferric ion,
diffusion equations are as follows:
eq. (30), which leaves less free thiourea in solution. As
for t = 0, can be expected, this tendency disappears at higher
thiourea concentrations.
[FTI = [FTI initial = [FTjO (41)

CSTI = CST1° (42)

CONCLUSION
D-l-l = CTTIO (43)
It has been shown that the models presented in this
CAT7 = CATlo (44) article can be used to simulate the leaching behavior
under a wider range of conditions than that possible
[PT-J=O (45)
with the traditional SCM. In addition, reversible oxi-
R,= R, (W dation reactions and complexing phenomena may be
1940 GRETCHEN LAPIDUS

I _o _______A----
__---
_____------
0.8 -
___---
*__--*

__---
__.-__-- ___---
0.8 -
Rgx pH - 1 .?/.-*---- ____‘_----&.--w - 1.5
0.7 - ,._- */-
d/S /*r
__-_ _/- -H^
0.6 - *’ -0 _---
.- _-
*’ r-
.’ .. ,/--
x ox- ,’ .* *- ----G w - 1-Q
,I ,* ,y
,’ ,’ _A
,,’ /’ ,I
0.4 - ,’
.,’ ,’ .’
0.3 - ;*;fl’,,-
;,‘,/
0.2 -
;/
0.1 $

0.0r
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
DIWNSICN_ESS TIME, Utr’Rp2

Fig. 6. Argentite leaching using 0.003 M ferricsulfate and 0.03 M thiourea. Model simulations at different
values of the solution pH plotted as fractional conversion, X, vs dimensionless time, Da&/R;.

I .o-
0-Q -

- 0.002 M

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.8 1.0
DIMENSIONLESS TIME. Dt/Rp2

Fig. 7. Argentite leaching using 0.03 M thiourea at pH = 1. Model simulations for different ferric ion
concentrations plotted as fractional conversion, X, vs dimensionless time, Da tfRf.

taken into account with the methods employed. Fur- ing its sign, in the oxidation reaction with
thermore, it is possible to extend the same procedure respect to that of the desired metal product
used in the development of these models to other %J concentration of species i
leaching systems where complex kinetics are involved. Ci initial concentration of species i
Di effective diffusivity of species i
Acknowledgements-The author wishes to thank Dr Susana F weight fraction of the desired metal in the
Ortiz of Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medi- mineral
cine for her assistance in the conceptualization of these
P--l total concentration of iron
models, and Drs Jesus Alvarez and Jose de Jesus Alvarez for
their helpful suggestions on numerical computations. hi external mass transfer coefficient
k oxidation reaction rate constant
MW molecular weight of the desired metal
CpT7 total concentration of silver
NOTATION R radius
f3-U total concentration of oxidizing agent RC radius of the shrinking core (oxidation reac-
bi stoichiometric coefficient of species i, includ- tion boundary)
 Mathematical modelling of metal leaching in nonporous minerals 1941

R, particle radius Lapidus. G. T., 1991, Modelado matemhtico de la lixiviacibn

total concentration of sulfate de argentita con sulfato f&&o y tiourea. Doctoral thesis.
[=-I
Universidad Aut6noma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa,
t time
Mexico.
l3-v total concentration of thiourea Lapidus, G. T. and Mosqueira, M. L., 1988, Effect of product
X fractional conversion or extraction solubility on the leaching kinetics of non-porous minerals.
Hydrometnliurgy u)(l), 49-64.
Greek letters Lev&spiel, O., iG72, Chemical Reaction Engineering, 2nd
Edition, pp. 361-377. Wiley, New York.
tl accumulation of the desired metal in the Palacios. E. G.. Lobe. R. A. and Laoidus. G. T.. 1989.
bulk solution Deter&naci& de1 olden de reaccibn-de 1; lixivia&n d;
& porosity of the inert layer esfalerita con cloruro f&rico, in Avarices en Metalurgia
leaching solution density Extractiva No Ferrosp1988 (Edited by S. Aguayo and
PI
L. A. Alma&Q, pp. 211-228. Universidad de Sonora,
Phf molar density of the desired metal in the
Hermosillo.
mineral Preisler. P. W. and Berger, L., 1947, Oxidation-reduction
%* percentage of solids in the system potentials of thioldithio sysiems: &iourea-formamidine
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