Copper Plant, Polar Division of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC, Norilsk, Russia

E. F. Grabchak, Chief Specialist (Laboratory of Engineering Maintenance), e-mail: baobab111@mail.ru
I. S. Kuzmina, Leading Engineer (Laboratory of Engineering Maintenance)
Yu. A. Goryacheva, First Category Engineer (Laboratory of Engineering Maintenance)

Center of Engineering Maintenance of Production of Polar Division of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC, Norilsk, Russia
A. S. Leonov, Head of Metallurgical Shop

“Baikal Mining Company” LLC, Moscow, Russia
D. A. Lapshin, Chief Specialist

One of priority directions of improvement of processing technology of copper and nickel electrolytic slags in metallurgical shop of Polar Division of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC is searching and development of the following new approaches:
— approaches of decreasing of amount of precious metals in goods-inprocess;
— approaches of excluding of losses of precious metals with solutions, removed from technological cycle.
Various researches were held within the solution of this task by specialists from the Polar Division of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC. During these researches, there were tested the sedimental, sorption and electrochemical methods of extraction of precious metals. There was also researched the influence of basic physical and chemical factors on the transfer of platinum group metals into solutions in the processes of leaching of electrolyte slags` cinders. Wide range of oscillations of contents of platinum group metals in solutions is mostly connected with instability of chemical composition of processed slags. Concentrations of sulphuric acid and chloride ion in solutions are the basic factors, which make a significant influence on the transfer of platinum group metals. On the basis of carried out researches, there were developed new approaches and schemes of selective extraction of platinum group metals from solutions of leaching of cinders of copper and nickel electrolyte slags. In conditions of operating production of copper plant's metallurgical shop, these methods make it possible to do the following operations:
— extraction of a part of precious metals into “rich” sediments, containing more than 60% (mas.) of precious metals;
— significant decrease of quantity of precious metals in work in progress;
— provision of precious metals content in released technological solutions of copper plant's metallurgical shop within the regulated values.

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