Assisted leaching of Sarcheshmeh chalcopyrite concentrate using sodium peroxodisulfate as an additive

Assisted leaching of copper from Sarcheshmeh chalcopyrite concentrate was studied. The Effect of addition of sodium peroxodisulfate was investigated. The results showed that at pH 2, in the absence of ferric ion, addition of peroxodisulfate up to 5 g/l increases copper dissolution 14% while more addition to 7.5 g/l has negative effect and decreases the copper dissolution. In the absence of additive, an optimum concentration exists for ferric ion. When 10 g/l ion ferric used, addition of peroxodisulfate up to 10 g/l increases copper dissolution while more addition ceases the leaching. About 40% of copper was dissolved after 24 hr at 70 C while the concentrations of ferric ion and peroxodisulfate was 10 g/l.