MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)

Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching
 The process of removing a solute (or solutes) from a solid by treating it with a liquid solvent
is called leaching.
 This operation is also called as solid-liquid extraction or simply solid extraction.
 In leaching, a solid phase contacts a liquid phase, and mass is transferred from the solid
phase to the liquid phase.

 Examples of leaching operation are :

(I) Leaching of gold from its ores by using sodium cyanide solutions.
(II) Extraction of oil from oil seeds such as soyabeans by using hexane

Factors affecting the rate of leaching are :

 (i) Particle size (ii) solvent (iii) temperature and (iv) agitation.

 Smaller size particles provide a greater interfacial area between the solid and liquid which
in turn results in a higher rate of transfer of material.

 The liquid used should be a good selective solvent and should have a low viscosity in order
to circulate it freely.

 Generally, the solubility of the soluble solute material to be leached increases with
temperature, so high temperatures favour the leaching operation (results in a higher rate of
extraction).

 Agitation increases the eddy diffusion and thus increases the rate of transfer of material from
the solid surface to the bulk of the solution, i.e., agitation favours the leaching process.
Agitation

 The separation of a soluble constituent from a solid by means of a solvent, i.e., leaching
consists of two steps :

(i) Contacting the solid with the selective solvent-the liquid in order to dissolve the soluble
solute in the solvent.

(ii) Separation of the insoluble phases, i.e., separation of the liquid phase from the solid
physically by settling, filtration, etc. (mechanical separation).

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

In normal operation, the streams leaving the second step are:

(i) Liquid phase - a clear solution of solute in solvent (called as the overflow/(strong) leach
solution)

(ii) Slurry or a wet solid consisting of solid and adhering solution (called as the underflow/leached
solids).

Heap leaching –

It is an industrial mining process used to extract precious metals, copper, uranium, and other
compounds from ore using a series of chemical reactions that absorb specific minerals.

Important factors for a successful heap leaching operation are:

 Maintain a good permeability.

 Precipitates like gypsum, ferric hydroxides and clay minerals might cause clogging
and flooding.
 A good water balance. Sprinklers or drippers buried in the heap are used to deliver the
leaching solution over the heap.
 pH control
 A steady supply of leaching reagents.

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

A three-component leaching system consists of:

Pure solvent (component A), insoluble solid/inert solid (B) and consists of soluble solute (C).

Graphical representation of equilibrium conditions in Leaching :

(Equilibrium diagram in Leaching)

In case of leaching operation, when the equilibrium data are plotted on rectangular coordinates
with N as ordinate and x, y as abscissas, we may get one of the types of the equilibrium curves as
shown in Fig. (a) and (b) depending upon a given situation.

N: kg insoluble/kg solution

x : Wt. fraction C in overflow (B-free basis)

y : Wt. fraction C in underflow (B-free basis)

Fig: (a)

Fig. (a) represents a case where solute C is infinitely soluble in solvent A.

In this case, therefore, x and y will have values over the entire range from 0 to 1.0.

The curve JKL represents the separated solid (underflow/wet solid) as expected in actual practice.

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

The curve JKL is a locus of underflow compositions.

The curve MNP represents the clear solution withdrawn (overflow) and thus it is a locus of
overflow compositions.

Here the curve MNP lies above the N = 0 axis (x-axis here) which indicates that the overflow
contains some amount of insoluble solid B.

In this case, the presence of insoluble solid in the overflow indicates that either an insoluble solid
is slightly soluble in the solvent or a partially settled solution is withdrawn so that some amount
of insoluble solid is also carried away.

Here, the tie lines (e.g., line KN) are not vertical and this will happen

(i) If enough time of contact with leaching solvent to dissolve all solute is not provided,

(ii) If the solute C is soluble in the insoluble solid B,

Fig. (b)

Here the overflow contains no insoluble solid B either dissolved or suspended so that the locus of
overflow compositions is represented by the x-axis.

Line JK representing the locus of underflow compositions is horizontal which indicates that the
amount of solution retained by the insoluble solid B in the underflow is constant.
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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching
Here, the tie lines (e.g., line MN) are vertical and this will happen

(i) If enough time of contact with leaching solvent to dissolve all solute is provided,

(ii) If the solute C is not soluble in the insoluble solid B

Constant and Variable underflow:

The amount of solution retained by the insoluble solids in the underflow determines the locus of
underflow compositions.

We have to consider two cases - (i) constant underflow and (ii) variable underflow.

Variable underflow: When the amount of solution retained by the insoluble solid in the underflow
varies and is a function of solute concentration, then we have variable underflow (i.e., the
conditions are known as variable underflow).

Constant underflow: When the amount of solution retained by the insoluble solid in the
underflow is constant and independent of the solute concentration then we have constant
underflow.

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching
Single Stage Leaching-

Symbols Used:

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching
 Consider the single-stage leaching operation of, in which the solids to be leached are
contacted with leaching solvent and then the resulting insoluble phases are physically
separated and the effluent streams are withdrawn as leached solid and leach solution.
 The circle in Fig. represents a stage in which the entire operation of leaching, i.e., mixing
of solid with solvent and mechanical separation of the phases is carried out.
 Weights of the various streams are expressed as mass for a batch operation or as mass/time
for continuous operation.
 Since in many cases a clear liquid leach solution is obtained, ie., the overflow does not
contain any solid B and the solid B is insoluble in the solvent used, mass of the insoluble
(B) in the leached solids is the same as that in the solids to be leached.

For no solid in the overflow and insolubility of B in A:

mass of insolubles (B) in leached solid = mass of insolubles in the solid to be leached.

Material balance of B:

Or
Overall material balance:

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

final equation.

 This is simply an extension of single-stage leaching in which the leached solids are
successively contacted with fresh leaching solvent.
 This may be performed in a batch or a continuous fashion.
 Here the leached solids from any stage act as the feed solids to the next, so more and more
amount of the solute is removed from the solids as we move along the cascade.
 The material balance calculations that are done for a single-stage are now applicable here to
the first stage.
 The calculations for the subsequent stages are to be performed in the same manner, except
that the leach solids from any stage acting as the feed solids to the next stage.
 Fig. shows a three-stage crosscurrent leaching operation in which unequal amounts of the
leaching solvent of the same composition are used in all the three stages.

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

For B,
Stage 1

F. NF = E1N1

Stage 2
E1N1=E2N2

Stage n,
En-1. Nn-1 =En. Nn

For C,
Stage 1
F. yF +Ro1. xo = E1y1 + R1. x1

Stage 2
E1y1 + Ro2. x0 = E2y2 + R2. x2

Stage n,
E n-1 y n-1 + Ron. x0 = Enyn + Rn. xn

For A,
Stage 1
F. (1-yF) + Ro1.(1-xo) = E1 (1-y1) + R1. (1-x1)

Stage 2
E1 (1-y1) + Ro2 (1-x0) = E2 (1-y2) + R2. (1-x2)

Stage n,
E n-1 (1- y n-1) + Ron.(1- x0) = En (1-yn) + Rn.(1- xn)

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

Overall balance,
For stage 1,
F + Ro1 = E1 + R1

Stage 2,
E1 + Ro2 = E2 + R2

Stage n,
En-1 +Ron= En + Rn

Multistage Countercurrent Leaching:

Consider a multistage countercurrent leaching system containing n stages as shown in

Fig.
Stage-1 represents one end of the system at which the solids to be leached are fed and
from which strong leach solution (overflow) of highest solute concentration leaves the
system.
Stage-n represents the another end of the system at which a fresh leaching solvent is
introduced and from which the leached solid (underflow) with the lowest solute
concentration leaves.
Assume that solid B is insoluble and a clear strong leach solution [i.e., strong leach
solution with no insolubles (B)] is obtained and steady-state conditions prevail.

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

For B,
Stage 1

F. NF = E1N1

Stage 2
E1N1=E2N2

Stage n,
En-1. Nn-1 =En. Nn

For C,
Stage 1
F. yF +R2. x2 = E1y1 + R1. x1

Stage 2
E1y1 + R3. x3 = E2y2 + R2. x2

Stage n,
E n-1 y n-1 + Rn+1. xn+1 = Enyn + Rn. xn

For A,
Stage 1
F. (1-yF) + R2.(1-x2) = E1 (1-y1) + R1. (1-x1)

Stage 2
E1 (1-y1) + R3 (1-x3) = E2 (1-y2) + R2. (1-x2)

Stage n,
E n-1 (1- y n-1) + Rn+1.(1- xn+1) = En (1-yn) + Rn.(1- xn)

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

Overall balance,
For stage 1,
F + R2 = E1 + R1

Stage 2,
E1 + R3 = E2 + R2

Stage n,
En-1 +Rn+1= En + Rn

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching
Leaching Equipments-

Countercurrent Multiple Contact Shanks System

1) Tank 6 is empty, tanks 1 to 5 are filled with solid, tank 5 most recently solid and
tank 1 with least fresh solid. Tanks 1 to 5 are also filled with leach liquid, and the
most concentrated is in tank 5 since it is in contact with the freshest solid, fresh
solvent has just been added to tank 1.

2) Withdraw the concentrated solution from tank 5, transfer the liquid from tank 4 to
tank 5, from 3 to 4, from 2 to 3, and from 1 to 2. Add fresh solid to tank 6.

3) Discard the spent solid from tank 1. Transfer the liquid from tank 5 to tank 6,
from 4 to 5, from 3 to 4, and from 2 to 3. Add fresh solvent to tank 2. The
circumstances are now the same as they were at the start in Fig.a, except that the tank
numbers are each advanced by one.

4. Continue the operation in the same manner as before.

This system is known as shank system for counter current leaching.

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

Bollman Extractor/Basket Extractor:

Note-
Half miscella – Dilute oil solution
Full miscella – Strong oil solution

 It consists of a vapour-tight vertical chamber in which a series of perforated

basket are attached to a chain conveyor.
 The baskets are provided with perforations at the bottom.
 Solids are conveyed in the perforated basket down on the right and up on the
left in the chamber as shown in Fig.

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching
 The baskets are loaded with flaky solids (fresh meal) when each of the baskets
comes at the top of the downward side (RHS).
 They are sprayed near the top of the chamber with the dilute solution of oil in
solvent (half miscella) as they travel downward.
 As the baskets travel downward, the solids are leached with half miscella in
parallel flow so that the solvent extracts more oil.
 The solution sprayed percolates through the solids from basket to basket and
collects at the bottom of the chamber in the right hand sump as the final strong
solution of the oil (full miscella) and is removed out of the chamber from the
outlet provided at the bottom of the sump.
 On the upward side of the extractor (left side of the chamber), the partially
extracted solids (meal) travel upward and are leached further countercurrently
with a spray of fresh solvent to obtain the dilute solution of the oil (half
miscella) at the bottom of the chamber in the left hand sump.
 On this side of travel, the fresh solvent is sprayed on the meal near the top which
then
 percolates through the meal from basket to basket. On this side, meal moves
upward and solution flows downward and so the countercurrent flow is
achieved.

 When the baskets are at top of their travel, they are inverted and fully exhausted
solid (meal) is discharged into the hopper from which it is removed by screw
conveyor. Usually conveyor speed is one revolution per hour and solvent to
fresh meal (seeds) ratio is one.

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

Rotocel Extractor:

 It consists of a short, vertical cylindrical tank which is divided into 18 sector-

shaped compartments.
 Each compartment is provided with a hinged, perforated bottom that supports
the seeds and drains solution.
 This cylindrical tank slowly rotates above a stationary compartmented tank
(acting as reservoir for solvent + oil) and both the tanks are enclosed in a vapour-
tight housing in order to prevent escape (loss) of solvent vapours.
 As the tank rotates, each compartment passes under a feeding hopper where it is
filled with the prepared seeds and then under a series of sprays of solvent for
leaching.
 Each successive spray of solvent is more dilute than the previous one and seeds
are finally sprayed with pure solvent before they are discharged.

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching
 The solvent from each spray percolates downward through seeds, extracts oil
during percolation and then drained through the perforations into the appropriate
compartment of the lower tank, from which it is continuously pumped to the next
spray so that seeds and solvent flow countercurrently.
 At the end of one rotation, the exhausted seeds from each compartment are
dumped in one of the compartments of the lower tank from where they are
continuously taken away.
 A full finished miscella is continuously removed from the second last
compartment of the lower tank at the feed end.
 Miscella is not withdrawn from compartment-| as it may contain suspended
solids.
 These are filtered by passing through a bed of seeds in compartment-2, from
where finished miscella is removed.
 The last compartment of the lower tank is of a large size to provide a sufficient
time for the drainage of the solids before discharge.

Thickener:
 The thickener is the equipment used for carrying out sedimentation operation
(settling operation) in a batch or a continuous fashion.
 It consists of a relatively shallow tank from the top of which the clear liquid is
taken off and the thickened liquid is withdrawn from the bottom.
 Further, the thickener is frequently provided with a slow stirrer which helps in
the consolidation of the sediment.
 The Dorr thickener is simply a device for separating solids from liquids, but it is
extremely useful in the washing of fine solids (e.g., leaching of gold from ores,
causticizing of soda ash.)

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching
Continuous Countercurrent Decantation:

The flow sheet of a simple countercurrent decantation system is shown in Fig.

 This system comprises of one or more agitators arranged in series (for leaching
of finely divided solids or carrying out some chemical reactions that produce
precipitates, e.g., causticizing of soda ash) followed by a series of thickeners
(for washing, i.e., for the removal of solution associated with leached solids or
precipitates).

 The solids to be leached (or the reactants in the case of a chemical reaction)
together with solution from the second thickener are introduced into the
leaching agitators arranged in series as shown in Fig.

 The mixture of solid and solution (in liquid form) from the last agitator is
introduced into the first thickener through the feed well.

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching
 The strong solution (i.e., the product of operation) is decanted from the solids
by the first thickener (as an overflow from it).

 The agitators together with the first thickener thus form a single stage.

 The sludge (the underflow) from the first thickener then fed to a series of
thickeners for washing it by the solvent in a countercurrent fashion and the
washed solids are discharged as a sludge from the bottom of the last thickener.

 The sludge from the first thickener is sent to a second thickener where it meets
with the solution (the overflow) from the third thickener (acting as solvent).

 These two streams mix in the feed well of the second thickener, the solution
decanted from the solids (the overflow) from the second thickener goes to the
agitators and serves as solvent in them.

 The sludge (the underflow) from the second thickener goes to the third
thickener where it meets the fresh wash and leaching solvent.

 The agitators may be replaced by a grinding mill.

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching
Important-
Explain the stepwise graphical methods for calculating the no of stages for a
multistage counter current leaching.
For this question students need write steps involved in graphical method(given in
following numerical….refer last two pages)

SOLVED EXAMPLE

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

Prepared By: Mr. Dhiraj Tatar

 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

Continue-
Steps for Graphical Method-

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

Note-
Graph on next page-

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 MASS TRANSFER OPERATION-I (2150501)
Semester – V (CHEM)
CHAPTER: 8
Chapter Name: Leaching

Prepared By: Mr. Dhiraj Tatar