Leaching in Extractive Metallurgy

This book provides a comprehensive treatment of leaching as a central unit operation in non‑ferrous extractive metallurgy, with particular emphasis on copper hydrometallurgy. It aims to bridge fundamental principles and industrial practice by integrating solution chemistry, electrochemistry, thermodynamics, and reaction kinetics with process design and plant operation. After outlining the role of leaching within complete metallurgical routes, the text systematically reviews major leaching chemistries, including acidic, alkaline, ammoniacal, chloride/halide, cyanide, and biologically assisted systems, and discusses their governing reactions, operating parameters, advantages, and limitations. Technological implementations are described according to contact mode, covering percolation, heap, vat, in‑situ, dump, and agitated leaching, as well as high‑pressure and high‑temperature processes and intensified or hybrid routes. Dedicated chapters treat the leaching behavior of specific primary and secondary resources—copper, nickel, cobalt, zinc, lead, precious and strategic metals—along with subsequent solid–liquid separation, impurity control, solution purification, solvent extraction, ion exchange, precipitation, cementation, electrowinning, and electrorefining. The book further develops tools for laboratory testing, mass and energy balances, thermodynamic and kinetic modeling, and reactor and flowsheet design, including process control and digital monitoring. Environmental, occupational health, and sustainability aspects are addressed, and industrial case studies and design problems are provided to support both practitioners and students. Overall, the work positions leaching as a versatile and evolving technology for efficient and responsible metal production.