Saeed Hassani Sadrabadi - Mining & Metallurgical Engineering Department, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
Hojat Naderi - Mining & Metallurgical Engineering Department, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
Hamid Reza Zare - Department of Chemistry, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
Seyed Mohammad Moshtaghioun - Department of Biology, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

Removal of copper from synthesized and real dilute sulfuric acid solutions was investigated. Effects of copper, iron concentrations and applied potential were studied. In pure copper solutions, increasing the Cu۲+ concentration from ۱۰۰۰ to ۵۰۰۰ mg.L-۱ increased the copper recovery from about ۳۰-۳۰۰% depending on the cathode potential and decreased the energy consumption by about ۳۰%. Also, with increasing the acid concentration from ۱۵ to ۵۰ g.L-۱ an about ۲۵% increase in copper recovery and a ۳۰% decrease in energy consumption were observed. The addition of Fe۲+ to the solution improved the ionic conductivity and so that the copper recovery. The specified energy consumption for the real leaching solutions increased to ۳۱-۴۷ KWh.kg-۱. The diffusion coefficients for several synthesized and real copper electrowinning electrolytes were determined. Moreover, the maximum value of the diffusion coefficient (D) was obtained ۲.۲۷*۱۰-۴ cm۲.s-۱ for the pure copper solution at a concentration of ۱۰۰۰ mg.L-۱ Cu۲+ which was higher than impure and real solutions.

Chronoamperometry, Copper, Cyclic voltammetry, Dilute solution, Electrodeposition, Diffusion coefficient