Impact of Treated Wastewater on The Leaching of a Copper and Cobalt Ore: A Study by the Katanga Mining Company in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Katanga mining company has storage basins for the water used in the production of cobalt hydroxides. This used water is neutralized before being discharged back into nature. This research study examines the treatment of this used water with a view to its recycling during the leaching of the Copper-cobalt ores. After the physicochemical characterization of the water samples and their chemical characterization of the water samples and their chemical, mineralogical and granulometric analysis, the tests for treatment of the used waters were carried out with the help of calcium carbonate, quicklime, active carbon, cationic resin and combinations involving quicklime, active carbon and an ion-exchange resin .Following the treatment of the used water concerned, leaching tests of the heterogenite were carried out under the real hydrometallurgical operating conditions of Katanga mining company . The results obtained have shown that the recycling of this used water influences the performance of the heterogeneity teaching. Indeed, the best results were obtained during the treatment of the used water 2 g of quicklime and 1 g of active carbon. Under thesis conditions, the concentrations of impurities such as Cu, Co, Fe, Zn and Cr have significantly decreased in the used water, the pH of which has been 6.46. As for the heterogeneity teaching tests, the best performances were obtained during total recycling (100 %) of the treated water with an acidity, time and density of 130 g/L, 6h and 1.25 respectively. Under thesis conditions, leaching yields of 81.95% Cu and 86.08%Co were achieved, compared to the performances of the teaching with feed water (85.32% Cu and 88.01% Co). Thesis heterogeneity teaching performances allow considering the treatment and recycling of the used water as not recycling of the used water as an interesting alternative that not only makes it possible to sustainably manage the water resources of SOMIKA, but also to reduce the environmental footprint of its hydrometallurgical process and to release more water for use in the environment of the recycling is integral , without disturbance on the whole mineral processing circuit at Katanga mining company .