As for a cobalt-containing raffinate in Africa, several neutralizing agents, including limestone, lime, limestone-lime, as well as a combination of flotation tailings and lime, were separately used for impurity removal in the study, and a preliminary economic evaluation was also conducted. It is found that a combination of flotation tailings and lime is a good choice for impurity removal by neutralization, which can not only save the usage of limestone, but also recover part of the copper and cobalt in flotation tailings. Using this process, the leaching rates of copper and cobalt from flotation tailings can reach 81.69% and 41.10%, respectively. After an addition of lime, the precipitation rates of copper and cobalt can reach 95.43% and 13.64% respectively, and the iron removal rate is up to 99.86%.

cobalt-containing solution  /  limestone  /  lime  /  flotation tailings  /  impurity removal  /  raffinate  /  Cu  /  Fe  /  Co