System and Method for Leaching a Metal from a Base Mineral Rock

Abstract

A system and method for leaching a metal from a base mineral rock includes a closed reactor vessel into which a slurry containing the ground base mineral rock is fed. The interior space of the vessel is then pressurized via an oxygen supply to a pressure P. The slurry is then agitated under pressure P and within the closed reactor vessel for a time “t”. A blower or compressor re-circulates the oxygen through the slurry. The required pressure P and time “t” are effective for obtaining a metal recovery of up to 98% of the total metal available in the base mineral rock. Tests demonstrate that a time “t” in a range of 8 to 14 minutes and a pressure P of 10 to 50 psi is effective for obtaining the desired recovery amount, depending on the concentration of attacking agent used.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates generally to systems and methods employed in the mining industry to extract certain metals from their original natural mineral state and, more specifically, to systems and methods that employ a leaching process.[0002]In nature, the leaching of metals from a mineral state occurs over time through the action of water, air, temperature and other environmental forces. In the mining industry, this natural process is accelerated to reduce the time required to obtain the metal and increase the amount of metal recovered. Leaching operations, therefore, involve the use of chemicals to extract the metal from the mineral. Depending on such factors as the type of mineral, the metal to be extracted, the concentration of the metal in the mineral, the presence of other metals, and the chemicals used, the leaching process might take as little as a few hours or might take days and even months.[0003]Leaching operations in the gold mining industr...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]Agitation preferably occurs by way of re-circulating the oxygen within the vessel and through the slurry. The agitator preferably includes at least one blower or compressor and re-circulating piping in communication with the slurry. Jets may also be employed to enhance the aeration effects within the slurry.

Problems solved by technology

On average, however, the amount of time required using the current technology takes an average of 12 hours and the extraction of gold in the best of cases only reaches 90 to 95% of that available in the mineral.

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