Effect of temperature on the leaching copper from flotation tailings with ionic liquid

Flotation tailings of copper ore contain a high concentration of valuable metals such as copper, gold and silver. Minerals are mainly found in the form of oxides and less in the form of sulfides that have not been separated by flotation concentration. Recovering these valuable resources would reduce the environmental impact and increase the economic benefits. Compared to sulphide ores and minerals, the presence of oxidising agents is generally not required for the leaching of raw materials rich in oxides. This paper presents the results of the study the influence of temperature on the copper leaching degree from flotation tailings by ionic liquid solutions of different concentrations. Based on the results obtained, it was found that increasing the leaching temperature significantly affects the leaching efficiency. After 120 minutes of leaching at 70°C, a copper leaching degree of 99.7% was achieved at lower ionic liquid concentration than at ambient temperature.