The overall recovery of the metal and the difficulty of separating it from impurity metals are generally governed by the efficiency and selectivity of the leaching process.
Sulphide minerals are a major resource for base and precious metals.
The challenge is to find efficient and selective methods for leaching the increasing important proportion of multi-element low grade mineral sulphide ores, which are also environmentally acceptable. SX is increasingly being utilised for metal separation, purification and recovery. It is used in all the new nickel laterite projects in WA, the recovery of copper from heap leach operations, uranium recovery and to separate and purify nickel and cobalt solutions. Ion-exchange resins are specific solid adsorbents. The challenge is to develop lower cost options in solvent extraction and ion-exchange and improve metal recovery using these methods.