Learning path
Hydrometallurgy fundamentals.
Finish able to read any hydromet flowsheet — tank or heap, atmospheric or autoclave, adsorption or solvent extraction or crystallisation — identify which mechanisms it composes, and run the surrounding calculations.
Written first for the domain-crosser: an experienced process engineer entering hydrometallurgy from another industry. Students and technicians are served by the same sequence from the ground up.
- Topics live
- 56
- Planned
- 0
- Modules
- 10
The curriculum
Modules 0–9, in sequence
The complete path is laid out in the open. All 56 topics (Modules 0–9) are linked.
M0Orientation
4 liveM1Solutions and reagents
5 live- 1.1Concentration: wt%, g/L, molarity — converting between themLive · shared spine →
- 1.2Solution density and why it mattersLive · shared spine →
- 1.3The reagent set: acids, alkalis, oxidantsLive · shared spine →
- 1.4Reagent make-up, dilution, storage strengthLive · shared spine →
- 1.5Dosing: kg/t, consumption, costLive · shared spine →
M2Slurries (trunk-shared spine)
3 liveM3Feed preparation and pre-treatment
5 liveM4Leaching (the contacting families)
7 live- 4.1Leach chemistry: dissolution reactions and stoichiometryLive →
- 4.2Kinetics: what controls rateLive →
- 4.3Tank leaching: residence time and sizingLive →
- 4.4Heap, dump and vat leaching: the percolation familyLive →
- 4.5In-situ recovery in briefLive →
- 4.6Pressure leaching: HPAL and friendsLive →
- 4.7Acid consumption and gangue: mineralogy sets opexLive →
M5Solid–liquid separation and washing
6 live- 5.1Thickening: settling, flocculation, underflow densityLive →
- 5.2Counter-current decantation: the principleLive →
- 5.3Wash ratio and wash efficiencyLive →
- 5.4Filtration and centrifugationLive →
- 5.5Soluble loss: what poor washing costsLive →
- 5.6Clarification and polishing: the Merrill-Crowe front end and friendsLive →
M6Concentration and purification
9 live- 6.1Why purify: impurities and product specsLive →
- 6.2Precipitation: pH control, hydroxides and carbonatesLive →
- 6.3Cementation: metal displacementLive →
- 6.4Adsorption: activated carbon and resin (CIL/CIP/RIP, columns)Live →
- 6.5Elution and carbon regenerationLive →
- 6.6Solvent extraction in one sittingLive →
- 6.7Ion exchange in one sittingLive →
- 6.8Impurity management: Si, P, F, Fe — the circuit’s quiet warLive →
- 6.9Purification by re-dissolution: recrystallisation and gas-loop circuitsLive →
M7Recovery and product
5 live- 7.1Electrowinning fundamentals: the tankhouseLive →
- 7.2Electrolyte properties and controlLive →
- 7.3Evaporation and crystallisation: concentration and recovery by solubilityLive →
- 7.4Precipitated products: hydroxides, carbonates, battery precursorsLive →
- 7.5The refining boundary: gold rooms, smelting interfacesLive →
M8Closure: water, effluent and residue
4 liveM9The flowsheet families (capstone)
8 live- 9.1Gold: leach–adsorb–elute–EW (CIL/CIP) + Merrill-Crowe variantLive →
- 9.2Copper: heap leach–SX–EW; concentrate POX variantLive →
- 9.3Zinc: roast–leach–purify (cementation)–EWLive →
- 9.4Nickel laterite: HPAL–neutralise–precipitateLive →
- 9.5Alumina: Bayer digestion–clarify/wash–seeded crystallise–calcineLive →
- 9.6Lithium: spodumene calcine–leach–purify–crystallise; brine routeLive →
- 9.7Uranium: leach–IX/SX–precipitateLive →
- 9.8Battery recycling / black mass in briefLive →