WAY TO PROCESS COPPER ELECTROLYTE Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: hydrometallurgy, purification of copper electrolyte from impurities, purification of acidic solutions from impurities in chemical industry. SUBSTANCE: technical result of invention lies in increase of quality of extracted nickel solution and in obtainment of product used in paint and varnish industry to produce antifouling paints for deep-sea vessels which are at same time collectors of microimpurities such as arsenic, antimony, lead and others. Sulfate method of processing of copper electrolyte in accordance with invention includes reduction, neutralization, precipitation and separation of solid precipitate from solution by filtration. Operation of reduction with the aid of sodium sulfate is carried out first with ratio Na₂SO₃/Cu= 3.4-3.5. It helps to embed copper ions in sulfite complexes which in process of following operation of neutralization by means of sodium carbonate do not decompose to pH of isolation of crystal hydrate of copper sulfate Cu₂SO₃•5H₂O. weakly soluble in water. At same time neutralizer produces water insoluble carbonates carrying all undesirable impurities. Nickel and copper in this case stay in solution. Process of neutralization is conducted at temperature less than 9 C which is related to growth of solubility of copper sulfate with rise of temperature. Most optimum value of pH in process of precipitation is 4.0-4.2. To win larger crystals of copper sulfite precipitation operation is performed in the course of 20-30 min and then precipitate is separated from solution by filtration. EFFECT: increased quality of extracted nickel solution. 1 tbl