Patents Assigned to Billiton SA Limited
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Patent number: 8597933Abstract: A copper bioleaching process which makes use of a consortium which contains Leptospirillum ferriphilum and a sulphur oxidising microorganism which is halophilic or halotolerant.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2009Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: BHP Billiton SA LimitedInventors: George Frederick Rautenbach, Carol Susan Davis-Belmar, Cecilia Susana Demergasso
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Patent number: 8268038Abstract: A method of conducting a bioleaching process including the steps of forming a main heap, culturing at least one microorganism which exhibits bioleaching activity in a predetermined temperature range, monitoring the temperature in the main heap, which is a result, at least, of microbial leaching activity and inoculating the heap with the cultured microorganism at least before the temperature reaches the predetermined range.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2008Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: BHP Billiton SA LimitedInventors: David Dew, Jaco Willem Steyn, Susanna Helena Minnaar
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Patent number: 8070851Abstract: A heap leaching method to recover copper from a primary copper sulphide mineral wherein the mineral is leached in an acidic chloride/sulphate solution in the presence of oxygen with the surface potential of the mineral below 600 mV (vs. SHE) to cause dissolution of the copper sulphide.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2008Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: BHP Billiton SA LimitedInventors: Elmar L. Muller, Petrus Basson, Michael J. Nicol
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Patent number: 7727510Abstract: A microbiological heap leaching simulation process wherein material, representative of ore in a heap, is microbiologically leached in a housing and the temperature of the material at a plurality of locations in the housing is monitored and controlled to reduce heat loss from the housing.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2004Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: BHP Billiton SA LimitedInventor: Craig Van Buuren
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Patent number: 7578868Abstract: Small magnetic particles are introduced into a solution which is subjected to a bioleaching process. The particles are coated with a substance which has a selective affinity for, and which interacts with, a metal in the solution. The particles are taken from the solution and the metal is recovered from the particles.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2008Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: BHP Billiton SA LimitedInventor: Chris Andre du Plessis
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Patent number: 7563304Abstract: A heap bioleaching process wherein carbon, in the form of a carbonate, carbon dioxide or organic carbon, is added to the heap when the temperature in the heap is in the range of 45° C. to 60° C. to increase microbial activity and thereby raise the heap temperature to about 60° C.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2006Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: BHP Billiton SA LimitedInventors: Chris Andre Du Plessis, Sanet H. De Kock
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Patent number: 7494529Abstract: A method for optimizing a bioleaching process, at least in respect of heat generation and primary copper sulphide leaching, by actively monitoring and controlling inorganic and organic compounds in a raffinate solution, produced in the process, to levels below that which could be inhibitory to microbial activity of bioleaching strains used in the process.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2007Date of Patent: February 24, 2009Assignee: BHP Billiton SA LimitedInventors: Sanette H. De Kock, Paul Barnard, Clint Bowker, Hannes Strauss, Craig Van Buuren, John Batty, Chris Andre Du Plessis
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Patent number: 7037357Abstract: A method to dissolve at least one metal from jarosite or other iron hydroxyl sulphate containing-material which includes the steps of subjecting the material to alkaline treatment in a brine solution to facilitate jarosite decomposition, and acidification of the brine slurry to solubilise the liberated metal.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2003Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: BHP Billiton SA LimitedInventors: Noelene Ahern, Jozef Maria Schaekers
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Patent number: 7018593Abstract: A method of recovering base metal from a tailings dump which includes the steps of: aerating a surface layer of the dump; adjusting the pH and the moisture content of the surface layer to provide conditions favourable for bacterial oxidation of sulphide minerals; allowing bacterial oxidation to take place for a controlled period, after the controlled period removing the oxidized surface layer and adding water thereto for form a slurry; separating the slurry into solids and a solution; and recovering base metal from the solution.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2000Date of Patent: March 28, 2006Assignee: Billiton SA LimitedInventors: Peter Michael Craven, Trevor Hugh Tunley
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Patent number: 6884280Abstract: A method of leaching sulphide mineral concentrates wherein heat generated by bioleaching of sulphide mineral concentrates in at least one reactor is transferred into a heap in which bio-assisted leaching takes place.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2003Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: Billiton SA LimitedInventors: John de Klerk Batty, Alan Norton
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Publication number: 20040235141Abstract: A method of heap leaching wherein a gaseous suspension which contains a microbial inoculum or nutrients is introduced into the heap.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2004Publication date: November 25, 2004Applicant: BHP Billiton SA LimitedInventor: Chris Andre Du Plessis
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Publication number: 20030167879Abstract: A method of leaching sulphide mineral concentrates wherein heat generated by bioleaching of sulphide mineral concentrates in at least one reactor is transferred into a heap in which bio-assisted leaching takes place.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2003Publication date: September 11, 2003Applicant: BILLITON SA LIMITED.Inventors: John de Klerk Batty, Alan Norton
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Patent number: 5997606Abstract: A process for producing titanium slag which is low in radioactivity wherein molten titanium slag, produced by smelting ilmenite in the presence of a reductant in a DC electric arc furnace, is separated from molten iron, boron in an amount which is less than 2.5% equivalent B.sub.2 O.sub.3 of the slag is blended with the molten slag which thereafter is allowed to cool to form a glassy phase which contains the bulk of the radioactive elements of the slag before being crushed to particles below about 1 mm, whereafter the radioactive elements are leached to leave a titanium slag product which is low in radioactivity.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1998Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: Billiton SA LimitedInventors: Jacobus Cornelius Gideon Kotze Van Der Colf, Johannes Nell, Frances Stander
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Patent number: 5948375Abstract: A process for treating gold bearing sulphide minerals wherein the minerals are subjected to biological oxidation, the product thereof is separated into light and heavy fractions and gold is recovered from the light fraction using a non-biological process.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 1998Date of Patent: September 7, 1999Assignee: Billiton SA LimitedInventor: Hendrik Stallknecht
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Patent number: 5919674Abstract: A process for the recovery of copper from a copper sulphide concentrate in slurry form. The slurry is subjected to a biological oxidation turning the copper sulphide to soluble copper sulphate. The liquid containing the copper sulphate is separated from the slurry and treated with an oxime solvent extraction reagent so that copper ions are exchanged by the reagent for hydrogen ions to produce a raffmate which is high in sulphuric acid and low in copper sulphate. The solvent extraction reagent is then stripped from the raffinate with a sulphuric acid solution. Copper is electrically harvested from the sulphuric acid solution and the copper depleted raffinate can be returned to again form a slurry with additional ore for subsequent biological oxidation. The preferred bacterium is one of Thiobacillus Ferro-oxidans, Thiobacillus Thio-oxidans, Leptospirrilum Ferro-oxidans, Thiobacillum Caldus, and Sulpholobus.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 1998Date of Patent: July 6, 1999Assignee: Billiton SA LimitedInventor: Trevor H. Tunley