Abstract: The present invention is directed to a multi-compartment autoclave using inter-compartment dividers having one or more underflow openings for passing a feed stream between compartments.
Abstract: Precious metal recovery by thiosulfate leaching where thiosulfate lixiviant is generated in situ employing elemental sulfur generated from partial oxidation of sulfidic precious metal-bearing feed and/or employing reactants from processing effluent.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 10, 2006
Publication date:
June 21, 2007
Applicant:
BARRICK GOLD CORPORATION
Inventors:
Yeonuk Choi, Peter Kondos, Mark Aylmore, Jacques McMullen, Gus Van Weert
Abstract: A process for the recovery of arsenic trioxide from acid solutions, particularly the aqueous acid effluent produced by a gas-washing process in the pyrometallurgy of copper sulfide ores is provided. Generally, the process comprises concentrating the acid solution in one or more evaporators in series; crystallizing arsenic contained in the concentrated solution as arsenic trioxide crystals; filtering the crystallized solution to obtain a solid phase comprising impure arsenic trioxide crystals; and purifying the solid phase to obtain a purified crystal product comprising arsenic trioxide. The process produces a commercially salable arsenic trioxide product without producing any solid or liquid residues subject to special handling or treatment regulations.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 14, 2001
Date of Patent:
June 19, 2007
Assignee:
Barrick Gold Corporation
Inventors:
Jose Mendoza Videla, Jorge Balanda Andina, Hector Gallegos Cisternas
Abstract: A wear-resistant flash tank pressure let down nozzle for use in passing an ore slurry into an ore slurry flash tank to release steam from the slurry and reduce the pressure of the slurry. The nozzle has an expansion cone flaring toward the discharge end of the nozzle. The cross-sectional area of a choke section of the nozzle and the exit diameter of the expansion cone are selected to establish a relationship between pressure upstream of the nozzle and pressure in the flash tank so that underflashing, overflashing, and shock waves inside the flash tank are minimized.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 28, 2000
Date of Patent:
November 19, 2002
Assignee:
Barrick Gold Corporation
Inventors:
Richard Williams, Larry Enloe, Paul Wilmot, David Dixon
Abstract: A process for recovering gold from thiosulfate leach solutions and slurries in which gold is loaded into an ion exchange resin. Gold is recovered from the resin by elution with polythionate ions and the resin is regenerated with sulfide or sulfite. Gold is recovered from the eluate by precipitation with sulfide ions, cementation or electrowinning. The invention also provides for a process of manufacturing polythionate ion solutions suitable for eluting gold from ion exchange resins.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 4, 2000
Date of Patent:
February 5, 2002
Assignee:
Barrick Gold Corporation
Inventors:
Christopher Fleming, John Wells, Kenneth G. Thomas
Abstract: A process for reducing boron and/or fluoride ion content of water. Feed water is contacted, in the presence of magnesium, with an alkaline hydroxide to produce treated water and a magnesium precipitate containing boron and fluorine. The precipitate is separated from the treated water. The boron content of water is reducible from above about 0.8 mg/L to below about 0.7 mg/L, and the fluoride ion content is reducible from above about 1 mg/L to below about 0.9 mg/L. The magnesium precipitate is optionally used to neutralize pressure oxidized ore slurry or roaster calcine in the context of gold recovery operations.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 7, 2000
Date of Patent:
October 2, 2001
Assignee:
Barrick Gold Corporation
Inventors:
Jacques McMullen, Wilson Tsu, Reinhard Kargel
Abstract: A method for controlling a froth flotation system in a mineral processing operation for recovering metal from a metal source. A rule-based expert system adjusts performance of the froth flotation system.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 4, 1999
Date of Patent:
May 22, 2001
Assignee:
Barrick Gold Corporation
Inventors:
Yves Breau, Martin DeMontigny, Eric Levesque, Jacques McMullen, Dany Pelletier, Pierre Pelletier
Abstract: A wear-resistant flash tank pressure let down nozzle for use in passing an ore slurry into an ore slurry flash tank to release steam from the slurry and reduce the pressure of the slurry. The nozzle has an expansion cone flaring toward the discharge end of the nozzle. The cross-sectional area of a choke section of the nozzle and the exit diameter of the expansion cone are selected to establish a relationship between pressure upstream of the nozzle and pressure in the flash tank so that underflashing, overflashing, and shock waves inside the flash tank are minimized.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 17, 1998
Date of Patent:
August 29, 2000
Assignee:
Barrick Gold Corporation
Inventors:
Richard Williams, Larry Enloe, Paul Wilmot, David Dixon
Abstract: A process for reducing boron and/or fluoride ion content of water. Feed water is contacted, in the presence of magnesium, with an alkaline hydroxide to produce treated water and a magnesium precipitate containing boron and fluorine. The precipitate is separated from the treated water. The boron content of water is reducible from above about 0.8 mg/L to below about 0.7 mg/L, and the fluoride ion content is reducible from above about 1 mg/L to below about 0.9 mg/L. The magnesium precipitate is optionally used to neutralize pressure oxidized ore slurry or roaster calcine in the context of gold recovery operations.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 27, 1998
Date of Patent:
March 21, 2000
Assignee:
Barrick Gold Corporation
Inventors:
Jacques McMullen, Wilson Tsu, Reinhard Kargel
Abstract: A cement composition for use in acidic environments containing an acid resistant particulate aggregate of fused mullite aggregate or other aggregate material, with quartz, and microsilica in combination with a colloidal silica sol binder and being substantially free of Na compounds and K compounds which react in the presence of sulfuric acid to form alkali sulfates in service, thus reducing the durability or the service life.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 12, 1997
Date of Patent:
November 23, 1999
Assignee:
Barrick Gold Corporation
Inventors:
Charles Semler, Thomas Hawisher, Herman Pieterse, Richard Williams
Abstract: A process for treatment of precious metal ores in which gold is leached from an oxidized ore slurry using a thiosulfate salt lixiviant and copper catalyst. Gold and copper are subsequently loaded onto an ion exchange resin. Copper is recovered from the resin by elution with a thiosulfate solution; gold is recovered from the resin by elution with a thiocyanate colution. Gold is recovered from the eluate by precipitation, electrowinning, or cementation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 16, 1996
Date of Patent:
July 28, 1998
Assignee:
Barrick Gold Corporation
Inventors:
Kenneth G. Thomas, Christopher Fleming, Andrew R. Marchbank, David Dreisinger
Abstract: A process for recovering gold in which an ore slurry of refractory sulfidic and refractory carbonaceous ore having preg-robbing characteristics due to the presence of organic carbon is subjected to pressure oxidation in an autoclave. The oxidized ore slurry is mixed with a thiosulfate salt lixiviant, which mixture is maintained at a pH between 7 and 8.7 while the slurry is agitated in a stirred tank reactor system having agitated leach tanks. Gold is recovered from the gold-bearing leachate by cementation, adsorption on an adsorbent, or cyanidation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 10, 1995
Date of Patent:
July 16, 1996
Assignee:
Barrick Gold Corporation
Inventors:
Andrew R. Marchbank, Kenneth G. Thomas, David Dreisinger, Christopher Fleming
Abstract: A process for recovering gold from a refractory auriferous ore containing sulfide sulfur. An aqueous slurry of refractory auriferous ore is subjected to pressure oxidation in an autoclave while the distribution of oxygen to the various compartments of the autoclave is controlled in order to achieve increased oxygen utilization.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 4, 1994
Date of Patent:
February 6, 1996
Assignee:
Barrick Gold Corporation
Inventors:
Kenneth G. Thomas, Herman J. H. Pieterse, Richard A. Williams, Andrew W. Bolland