The extraction of tin and copper from roasted copper dross (rcd) and copper dross (cd)
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Date
2018-05
Authors
Syed Mohd Syafiq Idid Syed Anwar Idid
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Abstract
Copper dross (CD) is a by-product from tin smelting process in Malaysia as the result of copper
extraction or doping. During smelting processes, the impurities of copper become slag which
floats on the molten metal after the addition of sulfur. Roasted Copper Dross (RCD) is the
product of roasting of CD. The extraction of tin and copper from copper dross (CD) and roasted
copper dross (RCD) by leaching process was carried out by using sulfuric and hydrochloric
acid as a leaching agent. The CD and RCD samples was characterized by using XRF, SEM,
EDX and XRD. From XRD analysis, due to the nature of CD and RCD as by-product of
roasting, it is consist of complex mixture of different phases, where quartz, cassiterite and
chalcopyrite peak have been identified. As for XRF results has shown that the RCD sample
contain a few major constituents such as tin, copper, sulfur and alumina. In designing leaching
process, statistical model using Fractional Factorial Design (FFD) was performed in this study.
The leaching parameters such as acid concentration, temperature, type of acids, type of dross
(CD and RCD) and stirring rate were investigated. From FFD analysis, it was found that the
type of dross and the type of acid are the most significant factor in affecting the recovery of
tin. As for the recovery of copper, there is no significant factor was identified. However,
leaching time play the major role in affecting the recovery of copper compared to the other
factors. The optimum leaching extraction achieved when leaching condition is at 70 ℃ in 1.0
M of HCL using RCD as feed, 450 rpm stirring rate and 6 hours leaching time for copper (28.42
% Cu recovery) and at 80 ℃ in 1.2 M of HCL, using CD as feed, 350 rpm stirring rate and 4.5
hours (tin recovery at 31.91 %). As a conclusion, the recovery of Cu and Sn from copper dross
by leaching method is viable and this will increase the economic values of waste from tin
smelting and further study should be more focus on increasing the recovery of Sn and Cu.