Recent papers on SX/EW technology
BATEMAN personnel presented six papers at the South African Institute
for Mining and Metallurgy’s solvent extraction and electrowinning
(SX/EW) school, held in Johannesburg in October 1999. The titles and
brief abstracts are provided.
‘Developments in Liquid-Liquid Contacting Unit Designs’
by SF Burks – presented by SF Burks.
Novel equipment can improve SX transfer efficiency or reduce capital
and operating costs. The basic designs and specific installations of
the BATEMAN Settler TM, (a patented reverse flow mixer-settler), the
IMI mixer and compact settler and BATEMAN pulsed column are described.
Comparison of the Performance of Full Scale Pulsed Columns vs. Mixer-Settlers
for Uranium Solvent Extraction’
by RL Movsowitz, R Kleinberger, Dr EM Buchalter, et al – presented
by J Riordan.
An extended quantitative comparison between full-scale BATEMAN pulsed
columns and mixer settlers for uranium solvent extraction revealed that,
with columns, the entrainment of solvent is lower, mechanical failures
are less frequent, less crud is formed, solvent losses are smaller and
plant operation is simpler. The extraction performance of the two BATEMAN
pulsed columns was excellent with extraction yields of about98 %. The
results convinced Western Mining Corporation Pty Ltd (WMC) to install
10 similar columns for the plant’s expansion.
‘Bateman Pulsed Column Technology for Cu SX in the New ACTIVOX
Process’
by G Johnson (WMC), Dr EM Buchalter, R Kleinberger, RL Movsowitz and
J Riordan – presented by J Riordan.
An evaluation and cost comparison is made of the solvent extraction
and recovery of copper using conventional mixer-settlers and BATEMAN
pulsed columns. Two streams of solution from a Cu-Ni-Co concentrate
treated by the ACTIVOX process were investigated. The conclusion was
that while capital costs would be similar, operating costs in BATEMAN
pulsed column circuits would be significantly lower.
‘A Case Study of Three Different Solvent Extraction Circuits
used for the Separation of Nickel and Cobalt’
by AJ Lathwood, J Riordan and AG Pavlides – presented by PJ Cilliers.
Comparisons of the relative merits, with respect to design, capital
cost and operation, are made of the separation of cobalt and nickel
using Cyanex 272 in Hartley Platinum’s conventional mixer-settler
circuit, Bulong Nickel’s BATEMAN reverse flow mixer-settler circuit
and Impala Platinum’s pilot BATEMAN pulsed column circuit.
‘A Case Study of the Commissioning of the Nickel Electrowinning
Circuit at Hartley Platinum Base Metal Refinery’
by AJ Lathwood, – presented by AJ Lathwood.
The commissioning and ramp-up experiences at Hartley Platinum’s
nickel electrowinning plant are covered, with special reference to the
mechanical, chemical and operational challenges to ensure that the plant
met design specifications.
Developments in Cobalt and Nickel Electrowinning Technology’,
by AGPavlides – presented by KG Fisher.
The plant practice at several Southern African and Canadian nickel
and cobalt electrowinning tankhouses is reviewed and compared. The implementation
in existing tankhouses of innovations inorganic removal technology,
anode technology, cell design and tankhouse ventilation on operating
practices is discussed. Potential implications on design of new plants
are explained.
Please contact Steve Burks, Managing Director, Bateman Metals, atsteveb@bmi.co.za
for more details.
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