Anthracite
Solvent Extraction
Anthracite is a cost-effective and highly-advantageous filtration media used to clean electrolyte flow between solvent extraction and electrowinning in copper production. Used with garnet in a system of dual-media filters, anthracite improves the quality of the cathodes and reduces overall costs associated with the SXEW process.
- Stabilizes levels of entrained organic to media filter
- Reduces filter overrun
- Consistent filter service cycles
- Reduces backwashing frequency
- Reduces filtration materials needed
- Longer filter run times
SXEW is used in 20% of copper production around the world and allows copper to be extracted:
- Without removing the material (in situ)
- From unconventional sources
- From waste materials
- With a much lower environmental impact than conventional smelting
Specifications
African Pegmatite offers custom-designed matrices and media for virtually any application.
Data Sheets
General Information
Solvent extraction begins with a weak acid solution used to dissolve the solid material. An organic solvent specific to the extraction of copper is applied to the weak acid, or pregnant liquor. The copper moves into the organic phase, leaving its impurities in the leach solution.
The copper ions are exchanged for hydrogen ions, so the aqueous phase can be recycled while a strong acid solution is introduced to the organic phase. The copper moves into the new aqueous phase and the organic phase is reconstituted and recycled.
Seven deionized filters containing anthracite and garnet beds filter the electrolyte flow before it moves into the electrowinning stage. Anthracite is a coarse, top-layer media used in dual-media filtration. In SX-EW, anthracite provides filtration of most of the organic from the aqueous stream, which can then be recycled, and acts as a coarse filter media before the primary garnet beds.
A coalescer is made up of a pressurized outer tank with an inner cylinder that’s connected at the bottom and open at the top. Flow moves up the centre of the inner cylinder and down between cylinder and tank walls. Organic floats to the top and exits for recycling. Using anthracite in the cylinder with a grid on top will enhance this system’s performance.
After filtration, the clean aqueous phase moves into the electrowinning stage where the copper is reduced from copper sulphate to a copper cathode electrochemically.
Packaging
Choose the packaging and shipping arrangement that best suits your needs, from small packaging to bulk bags or custom sizes made just for you. We can accommodate virtually any size, from one metric ton to thousands.
Convenience
We maintain competitive pricing in an effort to win and retain your business for as long as you need us. Our goal is to meet the needs of every customer, including those with special requests and demanding production schedules.
A 15-day general turnaround for manufacturing allows us to get your compounds to you as quickly as possible, so you can keep up with the demands of your business. Contact us to get in touch with a distributor in your area if you don’t have time to wait for materials.
We currently ship to 44 countries across the world and we’re happy to ship to yours, too. The dependable and professional logistics channels we have in place make it easy to offer great pricing and service regardless of your location.
African Pegmatite
With 48 years as professionals in mining and manufacturing, we have the insight, network, and experience to offer you the very best in quality, service, and efficiency. We’ve been accredited by the ISO 9001 since 2002 and have most recently met the 2015 standard.
We aim to provide the very best materials available to our customers, and become your one-stop shop for colourants, minerals, compounds, and more. Take a look at our general solvent extraction page to see all the other solvent extraction and supplementary products we have available.
If you’d like to become a distributor of African Pegmatite products, get in touch with us and we’ll customise an arrangement with you.