Use of shredded automobile scrap for copper cementation

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7317892

Staker, W L; Groves, R D

The Bureau of Mines investigated the use of shredded automobile scrap for copper cementation. Air agitation was used to improve the cementation rate and prevent excessive buildup of copper on the iron. The pieces of scrap were too large to be properly evaluated in the laboratory; therefore, a pilot scale test unit was constructed and the process tested at field locations. Pregnant solution was obtained from industrial leaching operations, processed in the test unit and the barren solution and cement copper were returned to the plant process stream. The test results showed that the air-agitated launder containing automobile scrap was an effective means for recovering copper from leach solutions. A continuous 14-day test run was made without a noticeable decrease in cementation efficiency. The most suitable scrap product was obtained from incinerated automobile hulks shredded in a hammer type of shredder. However, it was necessary to remove small pieces such as nuts and bolts because they interfered with the discharge of the copper product.

• Research Organization: Bureau of Mines, Salt Lake City, Utah (USA). Salt Lake City Metallurgy Research Center
• OSTI ID: 7317892
• Report Number(s): BM-RI-8198
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
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42 ENGINEERING
420900* -- Engineering-- Waste Processing Plants & Equipment-- (-1989)
AUTOMOBILES
COPPER
COPPER ORES
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
LEACHING
METALS
ORES
RECOVERY
RECYCLING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLID WASTES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USES
VEHICLES
WASTES