In this study, the effects of various experimental parameters on the cementation yield of copper by iron were investigated statistically. A statistical experimental design based on the second-order central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was planned fixing the cementation period at 2 h. The experimental design was done at five levels of the operating parameters which were the initial copper concentration, temperature, pH and flow rate and their studied ranges are 10-100 mg/L, 20-60 degrees C, 1-5 and 0.46-4.38 mL/s, respectively. The model equation for copper cementation yield was developed and an optimization study was done. The optimal conditions determined by using surface contour plots for initial copper cementation, temperature, pH and flow rate were 75.25 mg/L, 60 degrees C, 2.2 and 3.79 mL/s, respectively. Under these conditions, the copper cementation yield obtained was 99.6%. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.