Studies on the extraction of Copper(II) with 4-alkyldithiocarboxylate derivatives of 1-phenyl-3,5-dioxopyrazolidine

The extraction behaviour of copper(II) from acid solutions (pH 0-6) was studied with the new reagent 4-alkyldithiocarboxylate-3,5-dihydroxy-l-phenylpyrazol (HL; alkyl = n-butyl, n-dodecyl). The species extracted was found to be ML(2). The reagent was used to separate copper(II) from iron(III) in an acidic lixiviation solution of a mineral sample composed of enarguite (Cu(3)AsS(4)) and pyrite (FeS(2)). Additionally, the extraction efficiency of this new reagent was compared with the commercially available LIX 984 N extradant of copper (II).