Selective Extraction of Cobalt and Copper from Chilean Mine Water by Ion Exchange Resin

Abstract

Heavy metal-containing waste has become one of heavy environmental problems. Processing of such waste accumulated at waste dumps to extract valuable components is commercially beneficial activity and, in addition, decreases environmental impact. In this study, Lewatit MonoPlus TP 207 (TP 207) ion exchange resin was evaluated for its suitability for selective removal of cobalt (Co) and copper (Cu) from mine waste waters, generated by heap leaching waste materials at a Chilean copper mine. In series of laboratory scale fixed-bed ion exchange column tests, the effects of process parameters, such as waste water flow rate and regenerant (sulfuric acid) concentration, were studied in both waste water treatment by the ion exchange resin process and the resin regeneration (metals eluting) process. The regeneration process tests were performed using 1 % and 10 % sulfuric acid. The best separation of the metals (in the eluting process) was achieved with regeneration of TP 207 resin using 1 % sulfuric acid at flow rate of 1 bed volume per hour (BV/h).