The Separation of Copper and Nickel from Ni-Cu Mixed Ore Simulated Leaching Solution Using Electrochemical Methods
Keywords:
Cu-Ni leaching solution, electrochemical separation, potentiostatic deposition, cyclic voltammetryAbstract
Leaching solution of Ni-Cu mixed ore was studied using electrochemical methods to
separate the two ions. This was observed through investigating the electrochemical
behavior of copper and nickel ions separately in acidic mediums of copper sulfate and nickel
sulfate solutions. To selectively deposit copper from Ni-Cu leaching solution, potentiostatic
deposition was applied and the current efficiency was studied. At a voltage of – 0.2v the
initial concentration of 3.6 g/l Cu2+ gradually reduced to 0.28 g/l was has no significant
change for Ni2+ concentration. The reduction process of Cu2+ and Ni2+ also produced
intermediate products of nickel hydroxide which formed at the surface of the current
efficiency, especially when the concentration of Cu2+ is low.