Effect of Emulsifying Agent on Extraction Rate of Copper by LIX65N

Abstract

The extraction of copper from aqueous solution by LIX65N-kerosene solutions containing Span80 as an emulsifying agent was carried out using an agitated vessel in which the oil phase was dispersed. The reaction between copper and LIX65N at the oil-water interface was found to be retarded by the addition of Span80, owing to the preferential adsorption of emulsifying agent rather than LIX65N at the interface. When the concentration of Span80 was greater than 1 wt % the apparent rate constant for the extraction with chemicalreaction was smaller than one-tenth that in the absence of Span80. For the LIX65N dispersion system in the agitated vessel, it was shown that the extraction process in the presence of the emulsifying agent is controlled by the chemical reaction at the interface, and therefore the mass transfer resistance is of no significance.