course-details-portlet

TKP4158 - Hydrometallurgical Process Technology

About

Examination arrangement

Examination arrangement: School exam
Grade: Letter grades

Evaluation Weighting Duration Grade deviation Examination aids
School exam 100/100 4 hours C

Course content

Hydrometallurgical processes are widely used in industries for extraction of metals from ores, concentrates, and recycled or residual materials. A typical example could be the use of such processes for extracting zinc from ores or valuable metals such as cobalt, nickel, lithium, etc from end-of-life lithium ion batteries.

This course provides a deep understanding into the fundamentals of hydrometallurgy and their applications in industries (in particular the Norwegian industry) within the framework of sustainability and circular economy.The course covers unit operations such as leaching, precipitation, solvent extraction , ion exchange, cementation, electrowinning, hydrogen reduction with an aim to understand hydrometallurgical processes in industries. Thermodynamics and kinetics of hydrometallurgical reactions will be covered in detail. Specific softwares such as HSC Chemistry, MINTEQ will be used as part of the course.

In the application part of the course, after providing an overview of safety and environmental perspectives of hydrometallurgical processes, two kinds of industrial processes will be taught. The processes will be evaluated within a circular economy and sustainability framework. The first part will focus on extraction of metals from primary sources such as ores and their further purification for advanced applications as electronic materials, solar cells, etc. The second part will focus on recycling of metals from industrial waste (sludge, catalysts, etc) and complex waste (electronic waste, batteries, etc).

The students will also perform two laboratory experiments on topics covered in the course to enhance further learning.

The course will feature close collaboration with hydrometallurgical process industries for both academic learning as well as industrial perspectives.

Learning outcome

After completing the course student should be able to:

  • Evaluate the hydrometallurgical unit operations and processes through mass and energy flows.
  • Critically understand operational parameters in leaching, separation and solution purification and metal recovery in hydrometallurgical processes.
  • Understand mechanisms and kinetics of hydrometallurgical reactions and related important theories.
  • Develop and assess material flow in integrated processes, for treatment of complex industrial and municipal waste presented in the course.
  • Understand circular economy in hydrometallurgical processes and integration with other processes.
  • Outline application of hydrometallurgical processes for extraction and recycling of metals from primary and secondary raw materials.
  • Use thermodynamic softwares to study hydrometallurgical reactions.
  • Apply learned safety and pollution control issues in process design.
  • Use advanced knowledge to propose innovative and sustainable pyro-hydrometallurgical processes for recovery, recycling and re-use of metals.
  • Apply laboratory skills for sampling, characterization and data analysis in hydrometallurgical processes in research and in industries.

Compulsory assignments

  • Lab.
  • Exercises

Further on evaluation

The written exam will count for 100% of the course grade, both the lab exercises and 70% of the exercises must be approved before the student can gain exam rights.

If there is a re-sit examination, the examination form may be changed from written to oral.

Course materials

Selected Chapters from:

  • Hydrometallurgy: Fundamentals and Applications - Michael L. Free, Published by John Wiley & Sons

Lecture Notes

More on the course

No

Facts

Version: 1
Credits:  7.5 SP
Study level: Second degree level

Coursework

Term no.: 1
Teaching semester:  AUTUMN 2023

Language of instruction: English, Norwegian

Location: Trondheim

Subject area(s)
  • Technological subjects
Contact information
Course coordinator: Lecturer(s):

Department with academic responsibility
Department of Chemical Engineering

Timetable

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Calendar view

Examination

Examination arrangement: School exam

Term Status code Evaluation Weighting Examination aids Date Time Examination system Room *
Autumn ORD School exam 100/100 C 2023-12-13 15:00 INSPERA
Room Building Number of candidates
SL111 grønn sone Sluppenvegen 14 12
Summer UTS School exam 100/100 C INSPERA
Room Building Number of candidates
  • * The location (room) for a written examination is published 3 days before examination date. If more than one room is listed, you will find your room at Studentweb.
Examination

For more information regarding registration for examination and examination procedures, see "Innsida - Exams"

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