Acid Leaching Tests on a Highly Oxidized Copper Ore in Yunnan

The extraction of copper from highly oxidized copper ore in sulfuric acid solutions was examined in Yunnan Province. During the leaching of copper, the leaching rate of cuprous concentration was affected by various parameters such as particle size, leaching time, the weight ratio of liquid to solid and the consumption of sulfuric acid, etc. Through a series of tests, the results show that leaching rate of copper reaches more than 90% by means of sulfuric acid under the best conditions which are particle size of -1mm, the leaching time of 3h, the liquid-solid weight ratio of 4: 1, the weight ratio of ore to sulfuric acid of 1:0.4 at normal temperature and pressure.