Abstract: The general slag produced in treating the anode sludge of copper electrolysis in a copper smelter has a high tellurium content and test is made on recovering the tellurium from the slag by leaching. The results indicate that satisfactory tellurium leaching rate can not be obtained by conventional acid leaching processes. An oxidizing acid leaching process with sulfuric acid as lixiviant and KMnO₄ as oxidant can obtain a tellurium leaching rate of 90.09% at a leaching temperature of 80 ℃, liquid to solid ratio of 5∶1, KMnO₄ dosage of 0.008 g/g (of raw material), sulfuric acid concentration of 3.6 mol/L and leaching time of 5 h. Meanwhile, 97.81% copper in the slag can also be leached out and further extraction of tellurium and copper can also be made from the leaching solution.

Key words: General slag of copper anode sludge, Tellurium, Oxidizing acid leaching, Sulfuric acid, KMnO₄