STUDI EKSTRAKSI TEMBAGA DARI BIJIH OKSIDA DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN PELARUT ASAM SULFAT = STUDY OF COPPER EXTRACTION FROM OXIDE ORE USING SULFURIC ACID SOLVENT

Leaching of copper from Tonra oxide ore, South Sulawesi, has been conducted using sulfuric acid solvent. The aims of this study were to determine the mineralogical and chemical characteristics of copper oxide ore, to analyze the effect of sulfuric acid concentration and leaching time variables on copper extraction rate, and to analyze the effect of sulfuric acid concentration and leaching time variables on the dissolution of minerals. The analytical methods used in this research were the optical microscopic and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) methods for mineralogical analysis and the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) method for copper content determination. The leaching experiment was conducted using acid concentration and leaching time as research variables. The results of mineralogical analysis of copper oxide show that the mineral composition consists of pseudomalachite, hematite, and quartz. AAS sample analysis results on the oxide ore from Tonra showed that it contained 0.32% Cu. The maximum Cu extraction rate is 58.23%, which was obtained at a sulfuric acid concentration of 4 M and a leaching time of 60 minutes. The results of the XRD residue analysis showed that quartz and maghemite were not dissolved, while pseudomalachite, langite, and kaolinite were dissolved.

Keyword : Oxide Ore, Atmospheric Leaching, Sulfuric Acid, Extraction rate