Abstract:
The effects of impurities such as Fe2+, Fe3+, Ni2+, Co2+, Mn2+ and LIX64N on copper electrowinning were investigated. These impurities were found to affect the physicochemical properties of the electrolyte adversely, which ultimately caused a decrease in the limiting current density and mass transfer coefficient. Examination of the cathode copper deposited from such electrolytes showed that changes in the physicochemical properties of the copper electrolyte not only affected the mass transfer conditions during copper electrowinning but also effected the surface morphology and crystal orientation of the cathode copper significantly. The presence of any of the metal ions studied promotes the growth of pyramidal and planar structures, while restricting the growth of ridge-type structures.