Abstract
	The leaching characteristics of chalcopyrite concentrate (-80 +60µm granularity), in acidified Fe2(SO4)3 solution under microwave field was investigated in this paper. Slovak chalcopyrite concentrate from Slovinky deposit was used. The original apparatus from dressed home microwave oven was developed and built up. The silica tube with diameter 45 mm and high 600 mm was used as a rector. This method enables extremly fast heating of leaching pulp due to interaction between microwave energy and water solution. High leaching temperature, fast leaching time and intensive agitation without the mechanical tool are the main advantages of this method. The concentration of ferric sulphate within the range of  0 - 1 M of Fe2(SO4)3, whereas the concentration of sulfuric acid 0.5 M was kept, on copper efficiency was studied. After two hours of leaching the copper efficiency is equal to 28.68 %. 
	Other tested methods described in the literature gave at the comparable conditions the copper efficiences under this value what means that microwave leaching of chalcopyrite is the most effective method among these tested methods. Microwave radiation also plays certain role in the leaching. This fact is not fully clear up to present and that is a reason  why  it could be the challenge for further research.