Extracting copper from copper oxide ore by a zwitterionic reagent and dissolution kinetics

Sulfamic acid (SA), which possesses a zwitterionic structure, was applied as a leaching reagent for the first time for extracting copper from copper oxide ore. The effects of reaction time, temperature, particle size, reagent concentration, and stirring speed on this leaching were studied. The dissolution kinetics of malachite was illustrated with a three-dimensional diffusion model. A novel leaching effect of SA on malachite was eventually demonstrated. The leaching rate increased with decreasing particle size and increasing concentration, reaction temperature and stirring speed. The activation energy for SA leaching malachite was 33.23 kJ/mol. Furthermore, the effectiveness of SA as a new reagent for extracting copper from copper oxide ore was confirmed by experiment. This approach may provide a solution suitable for subsequent electrowinning. In addition, results reported herein may provide basic data that enable the leaching of other carbonate minerals of copper, zinc, cobalt and so on in an SA system.