3 rd International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research & Practice Page | 129 Volume IV Issue I IJRSI ISSN 2321-2705 Copper Extraction Using Liquid Ion Exchanger Khyati Shah, Bina Sengupta, R. Sengupta Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda,Vadodara, 390 001, Gujarat, India Abstract-Solvent extraction separation of copper from synthetic sulphate liquors media using oxime based extractant 2-hydroxy- 5-nonylacetophenona oxime (LIX 84-IC) in kerosene was studied. Parameters such as equilibrium pH, feed concentration, phase ratio, extraction kinetics, stripping kintetics were anlaysed. The effect of electrolyte was also optimized. At pH 2, LIX  84-IC shows a linear relationship having a slope of 2, indicating that the extracted species binds to two extractant molecule. Effect of feed concentration gives a linear relationship with a slope 0.85 (nearly 1) indicating that the extracted species is CuR 2 . Experiments shows maximum loading capacity for copper is 3.7gm/dm 3 using 10% LIX  84-IC. At the maximum loading capacity the stripping is less favorable while at half the maximum loading capacity, upto 2.12 g/lit there is almost complete amount of copper is stripped. Keywrods- LIX  84-IC, copper, leach liquor, solvent extraction, Stripping, I. INTRODUCTION he global demand for refined copper is approximately 13MTPA. Almost 40% of this demand is met by recycling. International Copper Study Group estimates that 13% of the refined copper production from ores is by solvent extraction electrowinning technology. This technology is accounts for an even larger market share of refined copper production from scraps and tailings. An increasing demand for metals in general, and higher purity metals in particular, coupled with decline in ore grades and more stringent environmental regulations have driven, and will continue to drive, research into finding more effective and efficient methods for processing the ores available to us, and recycling previously used metals. Hydrometallurgy has provided many of the new processes and solvent extraction technology will certainly play an important role in developing new processes. [55] Mechanism of solvent extraction: The mechanism of solvent extraction usually proceeds in three stages: [34]  The formation of uncharged complex  The distribution of the extractable complex  Interaction, if any, of the complex in the organic phase The formation of uncharged complex is the most important step in extraction. Such uncharged complex can be formed by the process of chelation, salvation or ion pair formation. Hence to generate such uncharged metal complexes different types of reagents are used to bind with metal ions, such reagents are called extractant. In absence of the extractant in the organic solvent the metal ions would never get extracted in the organic phase. The solvent extraction of metals differs from conventional solvent extraction in this aspect that for metal extraction the solvent contains both the extractant and the diluent (organic phase). Solvent extraction involves essentially two operations: Extraction and Stripping. Metals in ionic form have a strong affinity for the aqueous phase whereas they are energetically less favorable to the organic solvent. Metal ions are energetically inefficient to combine with organic phase, so for extracting metal ions to the organic phase, metal ions must be neutralized by forming organic soluble neutral metal complexes. The reaction of this complex formation must be reversible because of the necessity of back extraction to another aqueous phase for further processes of metal purification. II MATERIALS AND REAGENTS LIX  84-IC supplied by Cognis (Ireland) was used as the extractant. The physical properties and performance specifications of the extractant was reported in Table 1. Kerosene (Indian Oil Corp. Ltd.) having boiling range 152– 271 ◦C containing n-paraffins (27.08%), naphthenes (55.92%), aromatics (16%) and olefins (1%) having density (15) of 821.3 kg/m3 was used as the diluent. The extractant and kerosene were used directly as received from the maufacturers. copper salts (AR grade), were supplied from Merck Specialties Limited. All other reagents used were also of AR grade. T Table 1 Properties of LIX  84-IC Properties Appearance Specific Gravity (25°/25°C) Flash Point Copper Complex Solubility Maximum Copper Loading Extraction Kinetics Strip Kinetics Extraction Isotherm Point Strip Isotherm Point LIX  84-IC Amber Liquid 0.930-0.950 >170°F >30 g/l > 4.7 g/l > 90% (60 sec.) > 90% (30 sec.) > 3.65 g/l Cu < 0.50 g/l Cu