Abstract: Load carrying belts, a conveyor system incorporating such belts and a method for transporting material from a loading zone to an unloading zone are provided. In one embodiment of a conveyor system, a specially configured belt is hung from a haul rope that loops around a pair of rotatable end sheaves. If necessary, there may be one or more intermediary support towers in spaced apart locations between the end sheaves having one or more support rollers over which the haul rope rides. The belt is specifically configured for hanging from the haul rope and providing one or more compartments within which the material being transported is enclosed. The compartment(s) may be opened in the loading zone to permit introduction of material to be transported into the compartment(s), closed between the loading zone and the unloading zone, and reopened in the unloading zone to permit discharge of the material. In some embodiments, the belt may include a plurality of corrugations in order to enhance flexibility of the belt.

Abstract: Load carrying belts, a conveyor system incorporating such belts and a method for transporting material from a loading zone to an unloading zone are provided. In one embodiment of a conveyor system, a specially configured belt is hung from a haul rope that loops around a pair of rotatable end sheaves. If necessary, there may be one or more intermediary support towers in spaced apart locations between the end sheaves having one or more support rollers over which the haul rope rides. The belt is specifically configured for hanging from the haul rope and providing one or more compartments within which the material being transported is enclosed. The compartment(s) may be opened in the loading zone to permit introduction of material to be transported into the compartment(s), closed between the loading zone and the unloading zone, and reopened in the unloading zone to permit discharge of the material. In some embodiments, the belt may include a plurality of corrugations in order to enhance flexibility of the belt.

Abstract: Processing of mineral material containing precious metal with one or more sulfide minerals and non-sulfide gangue minerals including acid-consuming carbonate may include preparation of a sulfide concentrate by flotation with the flotation or conditioning prior to flotation using a gas comprising carbon dioxide. Flotation may be at an acidic pH without prior decomposition of the acid-consuming carbonate and may be without addition of acid for pH adjustment.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for improving component extraction from heap leach operations. Following heap leaching for some time, portions of the heap deficient in component extraction are identified, and treatment wells are drilled and remedial treatments are selectively performed on the identified portions of the heap. The remedial treatment can include hydraulically fracturing the identified portions of the heap followed by selective treatment with leach solution of the area impacted by the fracturing.

Abstract: Mineral materials comprising copper and precious metal are subjected to an acidic leach of the copper followed by an acidic thiocyanate leach of the precious metal.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for improving component extraction from heap leach operations. Following heap leaching for some time, portions of the heap deficient in component extraction are identified, and treatment wells are drilled and remedial treatments are selectively performed on the identified portions of the heap. The remedial treatment can include hydraulically fracturing the identified portions of the heap followed by selective treatment with leach solution of the area impacted by the fracturing.

Abstract: Mineral materials comprising copper and precious metal are subjected to an acidic leach of the copper followed by an acidic thiocyanate leach of the precious metal.

Abstract: For removal of precious metal from thiocyanate leach solution, precious metal is transferred from precious metal-thiocyanate complex to precious metal-cyanide complex. Preparation of thiocyanate leach solution includes dissolving cyanide in an aqueous liquid and converting the cyanide to dissolved thiocyanate.

Abstract: A heap with precious metal-containing mineral material with precious metal locked within sulfide mineralization is subjected to bio-oxidation followed by acidic thiocyanate leaching to dissolve precious metal. Sulfide sulfur is oxidized during both of the bio-oxidation and the thiocyanate leaching.

Abstract: In one aspect the present invention provides a method of recovering gold from each of at least two different refractory gold-bearing sulfidic mineral materials. A first mineral material is subjected to biooxidation pretreatment to release gold locked within sulfide minerals. The biooxidation produces an acidic biooxidation liquor effluent that contains significant dissolved iron in the ferric form. All or a portion of the biooxidation liquor effluent is used as an acidic treatment liquid to treat the second mineral material, which contains acid-consuming minerals. During the treatment, acid-consuming minerals react with the acidic solution, raising solution pH and resulting in reduced solubility and precipitation of dissolved iron and other metals. Also during the treating, sulfides in the second mineral material or oxidized, thereby releasing gold for subsequent recovery.

Abstract: For removal of precious metal from thiocyanate leach solution, precious metal is transferred from precious metal-thiocyanate complex to precious metal-cyanide complex. Preparation of thiocyanate leach solution includes dissolving cyanide in an aqueous liquid and converting the cyanide to dissolved thiocyanate.

Abstract: A heap with precious metal-containing mineral material with precious metal locked within sulfide mineralization is subjected to bio-oxidation followed by acidic thiocyanate leaching to dissolve precious metal. Sulfide sulfur is oxidized during both of the bio-oxidation and the thiocyanate leaching.

Abstract: Precious metal-containing mineral material is subjected to an acidic thiocyanate leach to dissolve the precious metal as a precious metal-thiocyanate complex. A feed of the thiocyanate leach solution may include a large molar ratio of ferric iron to thiocyanate. Precious metal may be removed from pregnant thiocyanate leach solution, such as by transferring precious metal from precious metal-thiocyanate complex to precious metal-cyanide complex and then loading the precious metal-cyanide complex onto an adsorbent material. Remaining cyanide in the thiocyanate leach solution may be converted to thiocyanate for additional leaching of precious metal.

Abstract: A method of flotation processing ores and other mineral materials containing soluble nonferrous base metal and sulfide minerals involves dissolving the soluble nonferrous base metal and precipitating the soluble nonferrous base metal in the form of a floatable precipitate that is collected as part of a sulfide concentrate. The use of an oxygen-deficient flotation gas, such as nitrogen gas, promotes the precipitation of the floatable precipitate. A method for removing dissolved nonferrous base metal from solution involves contacting the solution with a particulate containing sulfide minerals under conditions promoting precipitation of the nonferrous base metal onto the sulfide mineral.

Abstract: Disclosed is a particulate of an ore material having a metal value metal value and a matrix material having a sulfur content wherein the sulfur is present in an oxidation-reduction state of zero or less, the particulate comprising (a) a core particle of the ore material, with the core particle having a size of less than about two inches; and (b) a layer of particles of the ore material and an inoculate of sulfur biooxidizing bacteria in admixture with the particles; wherein the particulate has sufficient strength to retain at least about 95% of a void volume for a column height of about 6 feet for at least 200 days when continuously bathed in a solution comprised of the inoculate or a nutrient therefor. Also disclosed is a heap comprising a plurality of the particulate.

Abstract: Provided is a method involving flotation of a feed of platinum group metal ore material to prepare a platinum group metal concentrate during mineral processing operations. Prior to and/or during the flotation, a lead-containing activator reagent and a xanthate collector reagent are added to the slurry and during the flotation, an oxygen-deficient flotation gas, such as nitrogen gas, is used.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of sulfide ores containing silver by pressure oxidation. The method includes the addition of a sulfate-binding material to reduce the formation of jarosite species during pressure oxidation. Silver can then be recovered from the solids portion of the discharge slurry. A jarosite reduction step, such as by a lime boil, that is typically required to recover silver after pressure oxidation can advantageously be eliminated.

Abstract: Provided is a method involving flotation of a feed of platinum group metal ore material to prepare a platinum group metal concentrate during mineral processing operations. Prior to and/or during the flotation, a lead-containing activator reagent and a xanthate collector reagent are added to the slurry and during the flotation, an oxygen-deficient flotation gas, such as nitrogen gas, is used.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed after chemical processing involving agitation and/or mixing of components. In one embodiment, the chemical processing involves pressure oxidation and in another embodiment involves pressure leaching. Agitation during chemical processing is aided by an agitator pump disposed in each compartment or stage of a reactor to draw components into a cavity of the agitator pump. In another embodiment, feed to a multi-stage reactor is split between different compartments of reactor.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for recovering precious metal, and particularly gold, from a particulate substrate loaded with a precious metal-containing coating, in which a portion, but less than substantially all, of the particulate substrate is dissolved away to physically release precious metal-containing coating from the particulate substrate. The particulate substrate loaded with a precious metal-containing coating may be prepared during precious metal recovery operations by cementation of precious metal on a base metal particulate substrate from a pregnant leach solution, such as a leach solution including a thiosulfate lixiviant for the precious metal.