The aim of the course is to acquire new knowledge and skills on the basic principles and various sub-processes of Hydrometallurgy which is an alternative, and in many cases the main, method applied for the extraction of metals from ores and secondary raw materials with low environmental footprint and low energy consumption. It includes the following main parts:
- History of Hydrometallurgy – Introductory data (ancient and modern history of hydrometallurgy, basic flow chart of hydrometallurgical processes, applications of hydrometallurgy, introductory elements for extraction, means, types and extraction techniques)
- Preparation/pretreatment of Raw Materials for Hydrometallurgical Processing
- Basic principles of extraction/leaching (aim, basic parameters, solid-liquid heterogeneous reactions, equilibrium-complexation-speciation in aqueous phase and solid-liquid interface, influence of major factors such as pH, redox potential and composition aqueous solution and in extraction, kinetics, models and mechanisms of heterogeneous reactions, stability diagrams, extractants (acids, bases, salts), types of extraction reactions).
- Tank reactors (agents, sizing, equipment, layout and applications).
- Autoclaves (types, environments, modes of operation, equipment, examples).
- In situ, heap and vat leaching (techniques, wells construction, pile construction techniques, types of bases, law permeability layers, equipment, examples).
- Bioleaching (historical background, types of microorganisms, bacteria for bioleaching, growth phases, operation in heaps and stirred reactors, mechanisms).
- Chemical precipitation for solution purification and metal recovery (principle, mechanism (supersaturation, nucleation, crystal growth), sediment aging, precipitation and its mechanisms (sorption, solid solution formation, inclusion), filtration properties, equipment, examples)
- Solvent extraction for separation of metals and purification of solution (organic-aqueous phase, mechanisms of extraction of a metal in the organic phase, distribution of metals, extraction-scrubbing-stripping phases, equipment and extraction calculations in a continuous system, applications)
- Export of metals by ion exchange (general principles, categories of ion exchangers, methods and equipment, examples
- Electrolysis (general principles for electrolysis / refining of metals, elements and principles, equipment and technology, case studies)
