No abstract

The method of using of concentration plants tailings is proposed for the first time in this study. These tailings contain a number of valuable metals, such as Cu, Fe, Zn, etc. and are a potential raw material for obtaining concentrates of some elements. An electrohydropulse discharge is used to intensify the process of leaching of copper and other metals. Ammonium bifluoride, the most effective of the ammonium salts used in the copper leaching by the ammonization method, was chosen as a reagent. The influence of significant leaching parameters is studied and optimized using probabilistic deterministic planning of experiment. Based on the study findings, the following process conditions were found to be optimal: the mass ratio of S : L (solid : liquid) = 1 : 1; Cu : F = 1 : 6; sulfuric acid concentration - 40 g/l; the experiment duration - 30 min; discharge voltage - 10 kV and the leaching efficiency can be achieved 80-85 %. Comparative features of tailings samples from the Karagaily concentration plant (Republic of Kazakhstan) were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic emission spectral analysis. It was found that the copper minerals contained in the tailings are completely shattered and the copper is maximally transferred to the aqueous phase.