Abstract:Through simulating technological conditions of heap bioleaching, chemical leaching kinetics of covellite was studied in acidic medium system of ferric sulfate in terms of leaching temperature, redox potential (ORP) and pH value. The results show that acid leaching of covellite by ferric sulfate conforms to typical shrinkage nucleation model with apparent activation energy of 48.94 kJ/mol, and leaching rate is controlled by surface chemical reaction rather than diffusion. Leaching rate of covellite is positively correlated with temperature and ORP, while pH value has weak influence on leaching of covellite. Leaching rate of covellite is 42.17% under the conditions including initial Fe3+ concentration of 9.2 g/L, Fe2+ concentration of 3.0 g/L, initial pH=1.00±0.05, ORP of (720±10)mV (vs. SHE), temperature of 40 ℃, and leaching time of 288 h.