Dissolution Kinetics of Chalcopyrite with Hydrogen Peroxide in Sulphuric acid Medium

A. O. Adebayo, K. O. Ipinmoroti and O. O. Ajayi

Abstract
The kinetics of dissolution of chalcopyrite with hydrogen peroxide in sulphuric acid solution, was investigated. The influence of temperature, stirring speed, concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and sulphuric acid as well as particle size, were studied. The dissolution kinetics was found to follow a shrinking- core model, with surface chemical reaction as the rate-determining step. This is in agreement with activation energy of 39 kJ mol–1 and a linear relationship between the rate constant and the reciprocal of particle size. The reaction order with respect to hydrogen peroxide is 1.45. Increase in concentration of sulphuric acid has positive effect on the dissolution of the chalcopyrite; the order of reaction with respect to the acid being 0.77. Stirring speed has a negative effect on the dissolution of chalcopyrite as it enhances the decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide.

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Keywords
hydrogen peroxide, chalcopyrite, dissolution kinetics