Use of ACORGA® NR Reagents in the Presence of Nitrate Ions in SX: The State of the Art

Case 1, Plant A
The conditions at Plant A prior to substitution of the ketoxime extractant LIX® 84I with the modified aldoxime ACORGA®
NR10 are listed below:

Table 1: Characterization of the Solutions at Plant A

Element Units PLS Spent

Cu g/L 4.60 36
pH/H2SO4 -/g/L 1.60 180
NO3- ppm 1,890 63
ORP mV 470 500

Simulations
In order to compare the extraction efficiency of the reagents solutions. McCabe Thiele analysis was then used to calculate
LIX 84I and ACORGA NR10, the extraction and stripping the expected recovery for the configuration. The results are
isotherms were created in the laboratory using real plant presented in Table 2.

Table 2: Results of Simulations with Plant Solutions (23% extractant).

Extractant Efficiency [%] Train A Efficiency [%] Train B

Lix 84I 89.23 77.51
NR10 95.21 87.33

The better extraction kinetics under high copper tenor and copper recovery than LIX 84I extractant, which was used in
low pH conditions of ACORGA NR10 results in a 6% higher the plant.

Accelerated Nitration Tests

Several tests were then carried out in order to evaluate the Table 3: PLS Conditions for the Accelerated Nitration Tests.
behavior of the extractant in a possible nitration scenario.
The properties of the evaluated PLS feed (which had Value Units
adjusted values of pH and nitrate to make the solution more Cu 2.50 g/L
aggressive) are shown in Table 3. NO3- 62.0 g/L
This PLS was mixed continuously in a 1:1 ratio at 40°C FeT 4.70 g/L
with three separate reagents prepared at 25 vol %: LIX Cl- 10.30 g/L
84I (ketoxime), LIX 860 (pure aldoxime), ACORGA NR10 P. Redox 752 mV
(modified aldoxime) and Plant Organic (a blend of the
T° 40 C
regents appointed previously).
pH 1.10 –

10