An apparatus and method for in situ extraction of valuable metals from a mineral

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of in-situ extraction device and method of valuable metal in mineral, including mineral identification system, intelligent data analysis system, laser generator, gas phase recovery system, material transport platform and support;The material transport platform is connected in the middle part of upper surface of support by motion control mechanism;The mineral identification system is set in the front end of upper surface of support and corresponds with the position of material transport platform;The intelligent data analysis system is set in the front end of support and is connected with mineral identification system;The gas phase recovery system is across in the upper of support;The laser generator is set in the middle part of gas phase recovery system, and its output end is located above material transport platform.The present application is realized in-situ one-step extraction of valuable metal elements in mineral by mineral automatic identification-intelligent data analysis-laser in-situ ablation-gas phase recovery, with the advantages of simple process, green energy saving, precise extraction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mineral processing and metallurgical technology, and in particular to an apparatus and method for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals. Background Technology

[0002] Mineral resources are an important cornerstone for ensuring social stability and promoting economic growth, while rare and precious metals are the material basis for improving the performance of metallic materials and promoting technological innovation.

[0003] Traditional processes for enriching and extracting rare and precious metals typically involve complex steps such as crushing, grinding, flotation, and smelting of the ore. These processes are characterized by long workflows, high energy consumption, large reagent consumption (especially the use of highly toxic cyanide), and high environmental pollution risks.

[0004] Furthermore, traditional mineral processing and enrichment methods first require grinding large quantities of ore to a certain degree of liberation (-200 mesh) before processing. This results in a large amount of fine-grained tailings that must be disposed of through tailings ponds. The construction and management of these ponds not only incur high disposal costs but also create significant environmental pressure and safety hazards for human society. Therefore, developing a green, efficient, and in-situ extraction technology for rare and precious metals from minerals is of significant practical importance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention aims to provide an apparatus and method for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals. Through automatic mineral identification, intelligent data analysis, in-situ laser ablation, and gas phase recovery, the in-situ one-step extraction of valuable metal elements from minerals is achieved, which has the advantages of simple process, green energy saving, and precise extraction.

[0006] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: The present invention proposes an in-situ extraction device for valuable metals from minerals, comprising a mineral identification system (1), an intelligent data analysis system (2), a laser generator (3), a gas phase recovery system (4), a material transfer platform (5), and a support (6); the material transfer platform (5) is connected to the middle of the upper surface of the support (6) via a motion control mechanism; the mineral identification system (1) is located at the front end of the upper surface of the support (6) and corresponds to the position of the material transfer platform (5); the intelligent data analysis system (2) is located at the front end of the support (6) and connected to the mineral identification system (1); the gas phase recovery system (4) spans across the support (6); the laser generator (3) is located in the middle of the gas phase recovery system (4), and its output end is located above the material transfer platform (5). Furthermore, the motion control mechanism includes an X-axis motion platform, a Y-axis motion platform, and a Z-axis lifting platform, which are integrated into one unit to realize the adjustment of the material transfer platform (5) in three directions.

[0007] Furthermore, the laser generator (3) employs a nanosecond or femtosecond pulsed laser, with a power density controlled at 10. 4 ~10 8 W / cm 2 .

[0008] Furthermore, the gas phase recovery system (4) uses internal negative pressure to collect dust, sucks in the smoke and dust, and recovers it through bag filter or electrostatic precipitator.

[0009] A method for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals, the method comprising the following steps: Step 1: Pre-treat the raw ore or concentrate to be extracted to expose fresh mineral surfaces; Step 2: Place the ore on the surface of the material conveying platform (5) and identify it sequentially through the mineral identification system (1) to clarify the distribution of elemental components in different regions of the mineral particles; Step 3: The identification data is directly transmitted to the intelligent data analysis system (2) to perform three-dimensional modeling and positioning of the mineral. Based on the enrichment state of the elements, the intelligent data analysis system (2) provides the ablation location, duration and intensity of the laser generator (3). Step 4: The laser generator (3) ablates the mineral at the designated location. The mineral vaporizes at high temperature and enters the gas phase recovery system (4) directly under negative pressure. Step 5: The atmosphere containing valuable metal gas is re-solidified and condensed into particles in the dust collection device of the gas phase recovery system (4) and then recovered.

[0010] Furthermore, in step 1, the pretreatment includes coarse crushing: crushing the ore to 1mm~20cm; surface cleaning: removing clay and iron impurities from the ore surface through desliming and magnetic separation.

[0011] Furthermore, the mineral identification system (1) employs X-ray identification, gamma-ray identification, infrared identification, or image identification; the positioning accuracy of the mineral identification system is ±0.01mm, and the positioning response time is ≤10ms.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention uses modern mineral detection and analysis technology to identify and locate trace amounts of target minerals. Then, it utilizes the high-temperature plasma effect generated by a high-energy laser beam to physically break down and thermally decompose the target minerals. At the same time, it directly vaporizes or converts precious metals into easily recyclable compounds, thereby achieving selective separation and collection of rare and precious metals. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an apparatus for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals proposed in this invention.

[0014] In the attached figures, the following labels are used: 1-Mineral identification system; 2-Intelligent data analysis system; 3-Laser generator; 4-Gas phase recovery system; 5-Material transfer platform. Detailed Implementation

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the terms "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "one side", "the other side", "left", "right", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not mean that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0017] See appendix Figure 1 The present invention proposes an in-situ extraction device for valuable metals in minerals, comprising a mineral identification system (1), an intelligent data analysis system (2), a laser generator (3), a gas phase recovery system (4), a material transfer platform (5), and a support (6).

[0018] The material transfer platform (5) is connected to the middle of the upper surface of the support (6) through a motion control mechanism, and is used to carry and move ore. The motion control mechanism includes an X-axis motion platform, a Y-axis motion platform and a Z-axis lifting platform. The three platforms are integrated into one unit and are driven independently by three drive motors, which are used to achieve precise adjustment of the material transfer platform (5) in three directions.

[0019] The mineral identification system (1) is set at the front end of the upper surface of the support (6) and corresponds to the position of the material transfer platform (5); the intelligent data analysis system (2) is set at the front end of the support (6) and connected to the mineral identification system (1); the gas phase recovery system (4) spans across the support (6) and has a hollow structure inside to form a negative pressure airflow channel; the laser generator (3) is installed on the front side of the middle of the gas phase recovery system (4) and its output end (laser head) is located above the material transfer platform (5) and faces the ore surface.

[0020] The laser generator (3) is a laser generating device with automatic tracking and positioning and adjustable energy. Based on the type of the target rare and precious metal (such as gold or platinum) and its occurrence state (such as fractured gold or lattice gold), the power density, pulse width, scanning frequency, and spot diameter of the laser are set. Typically, nanosecond or femtosecond pulsed lasers are used, with the power density controlled at 10... 4 ~10 8 W / cm 2 This ensures that the mineral is instantly heated to over 3000℃, forming a micro-plasma zone. By adjusting the input voltage and lens position, the energy density of the emitted laser spot is controlled. The laser beam is focused onto the mineral surface through the optical system. In a very short time, the laser energy melts and vaporizes the matrix mineral (such as quartz and pyrite), and rare and precious metal atoms are excited, ionized, and form gaseous metal particles or nanoclusters, thereby achieving selective and quantitative ablation of the mineral particle surface.

[0021] A method for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals, the method comprising the following steps: Step 1: Pre-treat the raw ore or concentrate to be extracted (including but not limited to coarse crushing and surface cleaning) to expose fresh mineral surfaces; Among them, coarse crushing: crushing the ore to 1mm~20cm; surface cleaning: removing clay and iron impurities from the ore surface through desliming and magnetic separation.

[0022] Step 2: Place the ore on the surface of the material conveying platform (5) and identify it sequentially through the mineral identification system (1) to clarify the distribution of elemental components in different regions of the mineral particles; Step 3: The identification data is directly transmitted to the intelligent data analysis system (2) to perform three-dimensional modeling and positioning of the mineral. Based on the enrichment state of the elements, the intelligent data analysis system (2) provides the ablation location, duration and intensity of the laser generator (3). Step 4: The laser generator (3) ablates the mineral at the designated location. The mineral vaporizes at high temperature and enters the gas phase recovery system (4) directly under negative pressure. Step 5: The atmosphere containing valuable metal gas is re-solidified and condensed into particles in the dust collection device of the gas phase recovery system (4) and then recovered.

[0023] The identification methods of the mineral identification system (1) include, but are not limited to, X-ray identification, gamma-ray identification, infrared identification and image identification; the positioning accuracy of the mineral identification system (1) is ±0.01mm and the positioning response time is ≤10ms.

[0024] The gas phase recovery system (4) is a negative pressure dust collection device. It uses internal negative pressure to suck in the dust containing metal particles and recovers it through bag filter or electrostatic dust removal to obtain high-grade precious metal dust.

[0025] The extracted valuable metal elements include, but are not limited to, rare and precious metal elements such as gold, silver, gallium, niobium, and tantalum.

[0026] This invention is based on the physical and chemical principles of laser-matter interaction to achieve in-situ selective extraction of valuable metals. The specific mechanism is as follows: 1. High-energy laser ablation and plasma generation: The high-energy-density pulsed laser beam output by the laser generator (3) is focused on a micro-region on the surface of the mineral. Within an extremely short pulse width (nanosecond or femtosecond level), light energy is converted into heat energy, causing the temperature of the local area to rise sharply to above the melting and boiling points of the mineral. The target valuable metal components (such as gold, silver, gallium) in the ore melt and vaporize, and are separated from the unmelted and volatilized matrix components (such as quartz, silicates).

[0027] 2. Selective Gasification and Thermal Decomposition: Due to the different thermodynamic properties (such as boiling point and vapor pressure) of different mineral phases and elements, selective heating can be achieved under precisely controlled laser energy density and action time. For example, some sulfide minerals (such as pyrite and arsenopyrite) preferentially undergo thermal decomposition reactions at high temperatures, releasing gases (such as SO2), while the rare and precious metals embedded within them (such as gold) are released in elemental or alloy form and rapidly vaporized, thereby achieving initial separation from the gangue matrix.

[0028] 3. Negative Pressure Migration and Sudden Cooling Condensation: The gas phase recovery system (4) continuously generates negative pressure near the laser ablation point, forming a directional airflow. Under the action of this negative pressure, the vaporized valuable metal vapor and the fine dust it carries rapidly leave the ablation area and enter the internal pipes of the gas phase recovery system (4). Inside the pipes, the high-temperature gas comes into contact with the room-temperature pipe wall or the cooled dust collection device, and the temperature drops sharply, resulting in sudden cooling condensation. The gaseous metal atoms reform nucleate and grow into solid particles or nanoparticles, which then adhere to the collection medium of the bag filter or electrostatic precipitator, ultimately achieving one-step in-situ extraction and collection of high-grade metal dust from ore.

[0029] The present invention will be further illustrated below through specific embodiments: Example 1 This embodiment describes the extraction of gold from pyrite-type gold-bearing ore. The extraction steps are as follows: Taking a refractory sulfide ore with a gold content of 5 g / t as an example, the ore sample is placed on the material transfer platform (5). The laser generator (3) uses a ytterbium-doped fiber laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm and a power density adjusted to 10. 6 W / cm 2The laser pulse width is 100 ns, and the laser is used to scan and ablate a specified location on the surface of the ore. In the ablation zone, the pyrite absorbs the laser energy and decomposes rapidly, producing sulfur dioxide-containing dust. At this time, the gold element is released in gaseous form. At the same time, the gas phase recovery system (4) activates the internal negative pressure, forming a directional airflow above the laser ablation point, which quickly draws the gold-containing dust into its pipe. When the gold-containing dust passes through the bag filter, it is re-solidified and condensed into gold-containing particles due to the sudden drop in temperature, and is intercepted and collected by the bag filter. According to the test, the gold extraction rate in the laser action zone can reach more than 90%, and the gold concentration enrichment factor in the collected liquid exceeds 1000 times.

[0030] Example 2 This embodiment describes the comprehensive extraction of gallium from bauxite. The extraction steps are as follows: For gallium-rich ore in the alumina production process, femtosecond laser ablation is employed. Due to gallium's low boiling point, a relatively low power density (10⁻⁶) is used. 4 W / cm 2 To avoid excessive gasification of gangue. The laser causes the surface of gallium-containing minerals to melt and evaporate instantly, and the gallium-containing dust is collected by the gas phase recovery system (4). After the dust is collected by the filter bag, the gallium content is enriched from 0.01% of the original ore to more than 5%, which can be directly used as gallium extraction raw material.

[0031] Matters not covered in this invention are common knowledge.

[0032] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention should fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals, characterized in that: The device includes a mineral identification system (1), an intelligent data analysis system (2), a laser generator (3), a gas phase recovery system (4), a material transfer platform (5), and a support (6); the material transfer platform (5) is connected to the middle of the upper surface of the support (6) through a motion control mechanism; the mineral identification system (1) is located at the front end of the upper surface of the support (6) and corresponds to the position of the material transfer platform (5); the intelligent data analysis system (2) is located at the front end of the support (6) and connected to the mineral identification system (1); the gas phase recovery system (4) spans across the support (6); the laser generator (3) is located in the middle of the gas phase recovery system (4), and its output end is located above the material transfer platform (5).

2. The apparatus for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals according to claim 1, characterized in that: The motion control mechanism includes an X-axis motion platform, a Y-axis motion platform, and a Z-axis lifting platform. The three platforms are integrated into one unit to realize the adjustment of the material transfer platform (5) in three directions.

3. The apparatus for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laser generator (3) uses nanosecond or femtosecond pulsed lasers with a power density controlled at 10. 4 ~10 8 W / cm 2 .

4. The apparatus for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas phase recovery system (4) uses internal negative pressure to collect dust, sucks in the smoke and dust, and recovers it through bag filter or electrostatic precipitator.

5. A method for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals, implemented based on the apparatus described in claim 1, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: Step 1: Pre-treat the raw ore or concentrate to be extracted to expose fresh mineral surfaces; Step 2: Place the ore on the surface of the material conveying platform (5) and identify it sequentially through the mineral identification system (1) to clarify the distribution of elemental components in different regions of the mineral particles; Step 3: The identification data is directly transmitted to the intelligent data analysis system (2) to perform three-dimensional modeling and positioning of the mineral. Based on the enrichment state of the elements, the intelligent data analysis system (2) provides the ablation location, duration and intensity of the laser generator (3). Step 4: The laser generator (3) ablates the mineral at the designated location. The mineral vaporizes at high temperature and enters the gas phase recovery system (4) directly under negative pressure. Step 5: The atmosphere containing valuable metal gas is re-solidified and condensed into particles in the dust collection device of the gas phase recovery system (4) and then recovered.

6. The method for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals according to claim 5, characterized in that: In step 1, the pretreatment includes coarse crushing: crushing the ore to 1mm~20cm; and surface cleaning: removing clay and iron impurities from the ore surface through desliming and magnetic separation.

7. The method for in-situ extraction of valuable metals from minerals according to claim 5, characterized in that: The mineral identification system (1) adopts X-ray identification, γ-ray identification, infrared identification, or image identification; the positioning accuracy of the mineral identification system is ±0.01mm, and the positioning response time is ≤10ms.

Images