Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Hydrometallurgical extraction of platinum group metals from a low-grade ore concentrate
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-153).
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research
2014
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613165793050624 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Mwase, James Malumbo |
| author2 | Petersen, Jochen |
| author_browse | Mwase, James Malumbo Petersen, Jochen |
| author_facet | Petersen, Jochen Mwase, James Malumbo |
| author_sort | Mwase, James Malumbo |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-153). |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/8966 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:31:48.735Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publishDateRange | 2014 |
| publishDateSort | 2014 |
| publisher | Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research |
| publisherStr | Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/8966 Hydrometallurgical extraction of platinum group metals from a low-grade ore concentrate Mwase, James Malumbo Petersen, Jochen Bioprocess Engineering Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-153). The aim of this study is to investigate the economic and technical feasibility of processing platinum group metals (PGMs) and base metals (BMs) from a low-grade ore concentrate produced in the concentrator plant at Lonmin Pic. The PGMs of particular interest are platinum, palladium, ruthenium and rhodium, while the BMs of interest are copper and nickel. The ore concentrate, as a by-product, represents only 5 % of the total PGM value but as much as 70 % of the total tonnage of material processed in the concentrator plant. Further upgrading this material is not considered a viable route. However, even this low PGM content in the concentrate material accumulates to appreciable value on an annual basis motivating the need to develop alternative methods of extracting value from it. Initial estimates indicate that extraction levels of at least 50 % of the PGMs and 50 % of the BMs would need to be achieved, using low cost hydrometallurgical processes, to make the venture economically viable. These methods would exclude treatment via the smelter and pressure leaching: which are costly. energy intensive and result in leaching of large quantities of non-valuable elements. Previous studies revealed that organic acids had the potential to economically extract the PGMs under alkaline conditions, and BMs under acidic conditions, from various ores and concentrate materials. A literature survey confirmed that certain organic acids can be used to leach metals from ores and concentrates via chemical complexation. It further revealed that other chemical agents. namely cyanide, thiosulphate and bisulphide, were similarly capable of strongly complexing PGMs under various conditions of pH and temperature. The survey also revealed industrially established methods for extracting BMs from low-grade ores and concentrates. Based on this material, this study experimentally evaluated these options with the intent to propose a flowsheet to treat the concentrate material. This was conducted in two phases of experimental work. 2014-10-30T13:51:27Z 2014-10-30T13:51:27Z 2009 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8966 eng application/pdf Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Bioprocess Engineering Mwase, James Malumbo Hydrometallurgical extraction of platinum group metals from a low-grade ore concentrate |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Hydrometallurgical extraction of platinum group metals from a low-grade ore concentrate |
| title_full | Hydrometallurgical extraction of platinum group metals from a low-grade ore concentrate |
| title_fullStr | Hydrometallurgical extraction of platinum group metals from a low-grade ore concentrate |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hydrometallurgical extraction of platinum group metals from a low-grade ore concentrate |
| title_short | Hydrometallurgical extraction of platinum group metals from a low-grade ore concentrate |
| title_sort | hydrometallurgical extraction of platinum group metals from a low grade ore concentrate |
| topic | Bioprocess Engineering |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8966 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mwasejamesmalumbo hydrometallurgicalextractionofplatinumgroupmetalsfromalowgradeoreconcentrate |