Solubility prediction of malachite in aqueous ammoniacal ammonium chloride solutions at 25 °C

The solubility of malachite in the presence of ammonia, ammonium chloride and their mixed solution is calculated by a geochemical modeling code and is measured in a series of dissolution experiments using synthetic malachite at 25 degrees C. The simulated results show a good agreement with the experimental data gained at 25 degrees C. The predicted and experimental results indicate that the precipitate CuO limits the copper solubility in aqueous ammonia and Cu(OH)(1.5)Cl-0.5 in aqueous ammonium chloride. For a mixed solution containing ammonia and ammonium chloride, highest copper solubility can be achieved by adjusting the [NH3]/[NH4Cl] ratio to about 2:1. The thermodynamic model presented rationalises the interactions between the different components and predicts the influence of changes in the concentration of ammonia and ammonium chloride on the copper solubility of malachite. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.