Separation of iron(III), copper(II) and zinc(II) from a mixed sulphate/chloride solution using TBP, LIX 84I and Cyanex 923

Abstract Separation of iron(III), copper(II) and zinc(II) from a mixed sulphate/chloride leach liquor bearing 11.8 kg/m 3 iron, 24.8 kg/m 3 copper, 0.23 kg/m 3 zinc, 3.8 kg/m 3 cobalt, 35.2 kg/m 3 nickel, 176.3 kg/m 3 chloride and 48.9 kg/m 3 sulphate was carried out using solvent extraction. Iron, copper and zinc extraction studies were carried out using TBP, LIX 84I and Cyanex 923 in kerosene, respectively. The extraction studies were carried out for various metal ions at different pH and solvent concentrations and the optimized conditions were determined. The numbers of stages required for extraction and stripping of metal ions were determined from the McCabe–Thiele plot and confirmed from the counter-current simulation studies. Iron loaded TBP, copper loaded LIX 84I and zinc loaded Cyanex 923 were stripped with water, H 2 SO 4 and water, respectively. Based on the data a flow sheet for separation of the three metal ions has been provided.