Solvent extraction

Jameson Cells are used to recover organic from electrolyte and raffinate streams in copper, cobalt, nickel, platinum and zinc solvent extraction (SX) circuits worldwide.

In electrolyte duties, the Jameson Cell removes organic contamination from the electrolyte stream in the tank house which would otherwise cause organic 'burn' degrading electro-won copper cathodes. In raffinate duties, the Jameson Cell recovers organics that would be lost in the extraction process. Organic is a major operating cost and if recovered can be treated and reused in the process.

The fine bubbles and high intensity make the Jameson Cell extremely efficient, and the only viable flotation technology for capturing the extremely low concentrations of organic droplets. Jameson Cells for SX duties are fabricated in stainless steel or fibreglass reinforced plastic (FRP) and incorporate features specific to the application.

The high flowrates and absence of solids allows large downcomers with multiple liquor lenses and flat-bottomed tanks to be used, minimising both capital and installation costs. The largest operating cell, a J7250/10 recovering organic from 3,000 m³/h of raffinate at Olympic Dam's copper SX plant in Australia, was commissioned in 2003.