Understanding wash efficiency and chloride transfer in copper solvent extraction

Carryover of entrained aqueous from primary leaching operations into copper electrowinning electrolytes introduces impurities that can affect cathode quality and cause corrosion. As a result, more operations are introducing wash stages in their solvent extraction circuits in an attempt to dilute these entrainments with high-quality water. For more information, contact D.J. Burkhardt, Fluor Daniel, 7th Floor 1075, West Georgia Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6E 4M7, Canada; (604) 488-2113; fax (604) 488-2021; e-mail Debra.Burkhardt@fluor.com.