Tellurium precipitation from

copper sulfate leach solutions

Yusuf Bello and Christie Dorfling

Introduction
Impurities such as Se, Te have to be removed
from Cu leach solution
Reduced electrowinning efficiency
Poor Cu cathode quality

Sulfurous acid often used for impurity

precipitation
Se removal as Cu2Se satisfactory
Te removal remains challenging

Background
Te precipitation reactions
4Cu + H2TeO3 + 2H2SO4 Cu2Te + 2CuSO4 + 3H2O
5Cu + H6TeO6 + 3H2SO4 Cu2Te + 3CuSO4 + 6H2O

Copper formation reactions

2CuSO4 + H2SO3 + H2O Cu2SO4 + 2H2SO4
Cu2SO4 CuSO4 + Cu

Aim and objectives

Investigate the effects of Cu addition on Te
precipitation behavior at different operating
conditions
Improved understanding of Te precipitation
Conditions for Te removal with minimal Cu losses

Experimental conditions
SO2 only

SO2 + Cu powder

SO2 + Cu plate

Cu addition

N/A

1 g/L
2 g/L

203 mm2/L,
405 mm2/L

Temperature

65C
95C

65C
95C

65C
95C

SO2 flow rate

4.4 mL/min
5.8 mL/min

4.4 mL/min
5.8 mL/min

4.4 mL/min
5.8 mL/min

Agitation rate

250 rpm
500 rpm

250 rpm
500 rpm

250 rpm
500 rpm

Experimental setup

Agitation

(65C, 4.4 mL SO2/min)

100

80
60
250 rpm

40

500 rpm

20

SO2

0
0

100

200

300

Time (minutes)

400

500

% Te precipitated

% Te precipitated

100

80
60
250 rpm

40

500 rpm

20

SO2 + Cu plate

0
0

100

200

Time (minutes)

100

% Te precipitated

300

400

500

% Te precipitation

80

SO2

60
500 rpm

20

SO2 + Cu powder

0
0

100

200

300

Time (minutes)

400

500

SO2 + Cu
powder

65C

95C

65C

95C

65C

95C

250 rpm

80.0

93.0

87.8

91.8

91.5

94.0

500 rpm

73.0

95.5

77.3

92.5

92.0

94.0

250 rpm

40

SO2 + Cu
plates

SO2 flow rate

(65C, 250 rpm)
100

80
60
4.35mL/min

40

5.80mL/min

20

SO2

0
0

100

200

300

Time (minutes)

400

500

% Te precipitated

% Te precipitated

100

80
60
4.35mL/min

40

5.80mL/min

20

SO2 + Cu plate

0
0

100

% Te precipitated

100

200

300

Time (minutes)

400

500

% Te precipitation

80

SO2

60
4.35mL/min

40

5.80mL/min

20

SO2 + Cu powder

0
0

100

200

300

Time (minutes)

400

500

SO2 + Cu
plates

SO2 + Cu
powder

65C 95C 65C 95C 65C 95C

4.4 mL/min 69.0 93.5 76.8 91.8 91.3 93.8
5.8 mL/min 84.0 95.0 88.3 92.5 92.3 94.3

Temperature

(250 rpm, 4.4 mL SO2/min)

100

80
60
65C

40

95C

20

SO2

0
0

100

200

300

Time (minutes)

400

% Te precipitated

% Te precipitated

100

80
60
65C

40

95C

20

SO2 + Cu plate

500

100

% Te precipitated

100

200

300

Time (minutes)

400

500

% Te precipitation

80

SO2

SO2 + Cu
plates

SO2 + Cu
powder

65C

76.5

82.5

91.8

95C

94.3

92.1

94.0

60
65C

40

95C

20

SO2 + Cu powder

0
0

100

200

300

Time (minutes)

400

500

Solid characterization

SEM image of precipitate

obtained at 65C

SEM image of precipitate

obtained at 95C

Cu addition

100

100

80

80

% Te precipitated

% Te precipitated

(250 rpm, 4.4 mL SO2/min)

60
40
20

65C

0
0

100

200

300

400

Time (minutes)

500

60
40
20

95C

0
0

100

200

300

400

Time (minutes)

SO only

SO only

SO & 202.5 mm Cu plate

SO & 202.5 mm Cu plate

SO & 405.0 mm Cu plate

SO & 405.0 mm Cu plate

SO & 1g Cu powder

SO & 1g Cu powder

SO & 2g Cu powder

SO & 2g Cu powder

500

Concluding remarks
Large Cu specific surface area
Te precipitation not dependent on Cu2+ reduction
Fast Te precipitation exceeding 90%

Small Cu specific surface area

Te precipitation dependent on Cu2+ reduction
Cu2+ reduction rate highly dependent on
temperature

THANK YOU