DISPERSION OF METAL SULFATES IN ACIDIC LEACHING SOLUTION
Compositions and methods for dispersing metal sulfates are provided. A method for dispersing metal sulfates includes providing a mineral ore; contacting an acidic leaching solution with the mineral ore; adding a dispersion additive to the mineral ore and/or leaching solution to disperse the metal sulfates therein, wherein the dispersion additive is chosen from a water-soluble aromatic surfactant, a lignosulfonate, a naphthalene sulfonate, and combinations thereof.
1 . A method for dispersing metal sulfates comprising:
providing a mineral ore;
contacting an acidic leaching solution with the mineral ore;
adding a dispersion additive to the mineral ore and/or leaching solution to disperse the metal sulfates therein,
wherein the dispersion additive is chosen from:
a water-soluble aromatic surfactant,
a lignosulfonate,
a naphthalene sulfonate, and
combinations thereof.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mineral ore comprises copper.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the leaching solution comprises a sulfuric acid solution.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal sulfates comprise jarosite.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersion additive is a water soluble aromatic surfactant having at least 2 aromatic rings.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersion additive is an alkyldiphenyloxide disulfonate or salt thereof.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the alkyldiphenyloxide disulfonate or salt thereof has the following structure:
wherein R is an alkyl group having from 1 to 35 carbon atoms and each X is independently a cation.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersion additive is a lignosulfonate.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the lignosulfonate is a sodium lignosulfonate or an ammonium lignosulfonate.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the lignosulfonate is provided in a product having a sugar impurity content of no more than 25%, as measured by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the lignosulfonate is provided in a product having a sulfur content of no more than 10%.
12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the lignosulfonate is provided in a product having a sugar impurity content of no more than 20% and has a sulfur content of at least 5%.
13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the lignosulfonate is provided in a product having a sugar impurity content of no more than 6% and has a sulfur content of at least 4%.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersion additive is a naphthalene sulfonate.
15 . A metal sulfate dispersing composition comprising:
a leaching solution; and
a dispersion additive chosen from:
a water soluble aromatic surfactant,
a lignosulfonate,
a naphthalene sulfonate, and
combinations thereof.
16 . The metal sulfate dispersing composition of claim 15 , wherein the leaching solution is configured to leach copper from copper ore, and wherein the dispersion additive is configured to disperse jarosite.
17 . The metal sulfate dispersing composition of claim 15 , further comprising an iron-hydroxysulfate mineral.
18 . The metal sulfate dispersing composition of claim 15 , wherein the dispersion additive is a water soluble aromatic surfactant.
19 . The metal sulfate dispersing composition of claim 15 , wherein the dispersion additive is a lignosulfonate.
20 . The metal sulfate dispersing composition of claim 15 , wherein the dispersion additive is a naphthalene sulfonate.