Chemical-Electrochemical Approaches to the Study Passivation of Chalcopyrite

Abstract

Chalcopyrite passivation phenomenon drastically slows the copper extraction rate in hydrometallurgical processes; currently, scientists have reached an apparent consensus about the causes of this phenomenon. A great deal of information on this subject can be found in the literature, but there are also abundant differences in the experimental conditions applied and contradictions in the conclusions reached, making it difficult to obtain a global and structured view of the real advances in the research. This paper comprises an ordered classification of the available information regarding the unresolved and the often-ignored issues addresses by electrochemistry and surface analysis techniques.

Keywords:

• allotropic sulfur
• bioleaching
• chalcopyrite passivation
• electrochemistry
• polisulfurs
• reductive leaching

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

G.D. gratefully acknowledges the scholarship given by Codelco Andina division, throughout contract No. 4500966980, for the development of this work.