Abstract:The effects of pH value, concentration of chloride and sulfate ion in aqueous phase on distribution ratio of copper or nickel ions were investigated with laboratory-prepared diamine compound AMPY-1 as extractant. Separation coefficients between copper and nickel ions in mono-metal solutions were determined. Removal of copper from simulated nickel anode electrolyte was investigated. The results show that rise of aqueous pH values and chloride concentration is in favor of extraction of copper ions, while rise of aqueous sulfate concentration can lead to decrease of extraction of copper ions. Separation coefficient between copper and nickel in solution of copper chloride and nickel chloride, and copper chloride and nickel sulfate is 2 076 and 716 respectively under the optimum conditions including pH value of 4, O/A=1︰1, temperature of (25?1) ℃, and time of 10 min. Based on chloride solution and mixture of sulfate-chloride solutions, copper concentrations in raffinate is 1.1 mg/L and 1.8 mg/L respectively under the optimum conditions of O/A=1︰1 at (25?1) ℃ for 10 min. Cu/Ni mass ratio in loaded organic phase extracted from chloride solution and sulfate-chloride solutions is 156 and 45 respectively by three-stage semi-countercurrent extraction under the optimum conditions of O/A=1︰5 at (25?1) ℃ for 10 min. The above mentioned results can meet the requirements of deep removal of copper from nickel anode electrolyte.