Sustainable Extraction of Copper, Nickel and Zinc and Their By-Products from Ores, Recycled Materials and Wastes through Hydrometallurgical Processes

Dear Colleagues,

Copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) are vital non-ferrous metals in the context of a sustainable future. The importance of copper in any form of electricity generation, storage and usage cannot be overstated; it will only increase dramatically with the transition to a de-carbonized future. Similarly, Ni will be of critical significance as a battery mineral, and Zn  will be of paramount importance in ensuring long service life of construction and piping materials due to its extensive use in corrosion protection.

Classic base metals are derived from the processing of primary ores and concentrates, as well as the re-processing of historic mine tailings and recycling of scrap and end-of-life equipment.  The extraction and refining of primary base metals and their common companion metals (Mo, Au and U for C; Co and PGMs for Ni; Pb, Ge and In for Zn) usually involves hydrometallurgical processing to some degree. The respective technologies and chemistries employed are being continuously developed to address challenges such as declining ore-grades, changing mineralogy, energy supply, carbon footprint issues, SHE concerns, etc. Many of the processes applied to primary ores and concentrates are similar or adaptable to those relevant to processing of secondary resources, but with some modifications to account for the different nature and composition of the feed materials and the scale of operation.

This Special Issue is focused on new developments in the sustainable hydrometallurgical processing of materials for which Cu, Ni and Zn are the primary metal commodities recovered, with a special emphasis on the co-recovery of companion metals:  Mo, Ag, Au and U (by-products of Cu); Co and PGMs (by-products of Ni); Pb, Ge, and In (by-products of Zn).

This Special Issue will primarily cover four areas:

Area 1. Chemistries: acid ferric sulphate leaching and bioleaching, chloride leaching, ammonia leaching, leaching aids and catalysts, novel reagents.

Area 2. Leaching Technologies: atmospheric and pressure leaching, heap leaching, novel leaching systems.

Area 3. Separation: SX, IX, precipitation, and electrowinning for selective metal recovery from mixed leach liquors.

Area 4. Flowsheets: evaluation and comparison of complete flowsheets for the comprehensive recovery of metals from primary, secondary or blended feeds and the ensuing waste streams.

Dr. Lilian Velásquez-Yévenes
Prof. Dr. Jochen Petersen
Dr. Mario Vera
Guest Editors

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