Patent ID: 7494528
Filing Date: 2009-02-24
Classification: C22B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for smelting sulfidic copper concentrates, in which method copper sulfide bearing material is smelted in a smelting furnace for creating blister copper and slag, wherein at least part of the feed of the smelting furnace is copper sulfide bearing material obtained by means of sulfide bearing material that is fed to a hydrometallurgic processing of the slag created in the smelting process, wherein the hydrometallurgic processing comprises a leaching step and a conversion step, wherein: the leaching step comprises combining the slag created in the smelting process with sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, or a combination of these, a copper-depleted iron sulfate solution, and an oxygen-containing gas, precipitating iron, and producing an iron-depleted copper sulfate solution; the conversion step comprises combining the iron-depleted copper sulfate solution obtained from the leaching step with a sulfide-containing concentrate, and producing copper sulfide and an iron sulfate solution; and wherein the iron sulfate solution is recycled from the conversion step to the leaching step.